


Bona Fide

by emotionalcello



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, Blood, Blood and Gore, Brothers, Family, Gang, Gen, Gore, Siblings, Violence, a little romance, mafia, mafia!au, mob, mob!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-03-13 14:22:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 35,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13572408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emotionalcello/pseuds/emotionalcello
Summary: Ever since Sehun was born, the position of the next boss is placed upon him. Sehun has grown to be strong, smart, a leader, he's the perfect boss to be.But when his father, Choi Minsik, was attacked and too weak to lead, Sehun disappeared.Minsik's right-hand man is off to find him, Kyungsoo, Choi Minsik's first son, Sehun’s half-brother and mentor, the supposed heir, but Kyungsoo never wanted the position.Just like Sehun, he's trained from a young age to be what he is now, an efficient killer and a loyal member of the group. From the day Sehun could barely talk, Kyungsoo swore to Boss Minsik that he will mentor Sehun to be the suitable heir to rule the group.Kyungsoo raised Sehun almost like a second parent to him, and both of them have bonds stronger than any other member of the family.As the search for Sehun proceeds, memories resurfaced, stories unfold, Kyungsoo and Sehun then realized that they've been wrong about each other for a long time.





	1. CH. 1 The First Pledge

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Exo, or any characters I used in this fiction. The characters behavior of this story has nothing to do with the respectfully real one. The author of this fic held no malice to the characters that seems to have difficulties or acted as an antagonist, it's for fictional purposes only. The plot is owned and original by me. If there are any familiarities to any existing stories that seems like plagiarisation, it was not done intentionally to do so.
> 
>  
> 
>  **Bona Fide** , in Latin literally means ‘in good faith’, and fide means ‘loyalty’.
> 
> Though I don't know 'in good faith' as in only 'means well', but I saw it as sincerity, genuine, a sense of trust between two parties (stole that from wikipedia).
> 
> I was looking for any phrases to fits the loyalty mafia vibe I’m looking for without sounding too over the top… But the main reason I choose Bona Fide as a title is cuz it sounds AND looks cool honestly. I don’t know anything about Latin and I was just browsing and google translate…
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> I hope the image come out....
> 
>  
> 
> So if you didn't see the logo I made on the poster~~ this story is an entry for [Diamond Flower Writing Contest](https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1294712), hosted by [get2herheart](https://www.asianfanfics.com/profile/view/371087) , Yes honey, thank you so much for hosting this contest!
> 
> btw this contest is at asianfanfics.com, i think the deadline is march something.... so if you wanna enter like... click on da linkss
> 
>  
> 
> I still don’t know where this is going, but I have the sketch of how it’ll go, and this won’t have romance for the main plot, but there is some, a little. So it’s kinda refreshing to me in some ways. Since this will be my first ever non-smut, and not a boyxboy, this could be a challenge for me, but I'm kinda into that. Totally hope I could grow from this experience.
> 
>  
> 
> Pray to the superior entity of higher power above and below, up in the sky and down underneath earth, in the light and the dark, in any form and species, beyond the cosmos across dimensions that I can finish this fic. Amen.

++++++++

 

 

A cute little kid squirmed in the arms of a cute little teenager. Their happy squeals filled the wide sophisticated office. Toys and dolls scattered through the carpeted floor, the older child is putting things away as the two-year-old pounced him to the floor.

 

“Ooooow you got me! Ow Ow Ow” The 12-year-old glee as the chubby toddler climbed and sit on him.

 

The older rolled over while supporting his brother's head and started to attack his chubby cheeks with kisses, which makes the toddler laugh even louder.

 

Behind the desk, in the corner of his wrinkly eyes, their father, Choi Minsik, paused his hands from typing on his laptop and smiled at the sight in the middle of his office. His eyes directed to Kyungsoo, his eldest, it’s the first time he sees Kyungsoo acted like a playful kid.

 

Minsik closed his laptop and tiptoed to his boys, sneaking carefully to surprise them with a pounce, but he was outsmarted by his youngest son, Sehun, who spotted him immediately, and the toddler ran into him, making Minsik drops comically to the carpet. Kyungsoo then joined in too and laid on top of his father.

 

“Give up! You’re no match for the wrestling bros, tap out!” Kyungsoo pressed his body down, but Minsik quickly sat up and grabbed both of them with his arms.

 

The kids screamed in glee again, and tried to squirm out of their father’s lock, Kyungsoo could easily slip out by tickling his father, and wiggle out, while his brother is still trapped inside Minsik’s bear hug.

 

There’s a knock on the door, and Kyungsoo’s smile fell. The door opened, and a woman peeked in, as soon as Kyungsoo turned around and see who it was, he smiled and stands straight up.

 

“Lady Jihyo.” Kyungsoo bowed politely.

 

Jihyo sighed exasperatedly, yet with a smile on her face, “How many times do I have to tell you, just Jihyo is fine Kyungsoo, please.” She patted Kyungsoo’s head and pinched his cute cheeks.

 

Kyungsoo felt annoyed by the gesture, hates to be treated like a kid, but when he sees Lady Jihyo smiling, Kyungsoo tries to accept it like it is. Lady Jihyo meant well after all.

 

Minsik released his son, and the toddler ran to Jihyo’s arms immediately, “Sehunnie! How’s your day with daddy and your big brother? Hm?” The toddler only answered in a high-pitched squeal.

 

Jihyo bend down to pick up her son, “Are you going to come home today?” Her tone softens for her husband, and Minsik stands up from the floor, wrapping her and her son in his arms.

 

He gives her a peck on her pink tinted lips, “I’ll be late, but yes.”, his wife gave him a smile with a glimmer in her eyes, making Minsik fell in love with her all over again.

 

"Okay, then, I'll leave you two now." She said goodbye and turned around.

 

Sehun looks back at his brother and waved Kyungsoo goodbye while showing his toothy smile.

 

Kyungsoo’s reserved smile break instantly into a wide grin. He cooed silently and waved back at his cute little brother, feeling very proud. He’s the one that thought Sehun how to wave, looked at him now, so cute.

 

“How about you kid? How’s your Taekwondo class?” Minsik sighed after his little brawling session.

 

Kyungsoo has a proud smile on his face, “I’ll be a black belt in a month after I defeat Julien.”

 

Minsik smirks at that, and pats Kyungsoo’s short trimmed head, “And gun practice?”

 

"I can handle handguns, but I still can't hold the recoil from shotguns.” Kyungsoo shrugged.

 

“It’s okay, it’s all in your stance and strength, keep it up.” Minsik gave his skilled son a proud smile, and Kyungsoo mirrored them.

 

His heart always swells whenever his dad compliments him, and it pushes him to do more, better. Kyungsoo can’t wait to grow up and be strong enough to protect his family, and soon, worked beside his dad.

 

“Do you love your brother Kyungsoo?” His father suddenly asked, and Kyungsoo blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question.

 

As soon as he could process it, Kyungsoo smiled from ear to ear, “Yes! Of course! He’s a bit naughty, but he’s everything I ever wanted!”.

 

Sehun brings nothing but happiness to Kyungsoo, even there was a time where Sehun snapped his favorite figurine in half. Kyungsoo was angry, but then impressed at how strong a baby could be. Kyungsoo thought him everything he knows, from waving, and kiss-byes, even make him say ‘mama’, which lady Jihyo appreciate him for.

 

“Then, I need your help.” Minsik’s tone became serious, and Kyungsoo’s ears perked up at the request.

 

“Do I finally get to help you out to do some gang stuff?” Kyungsoo leaned closer, clutching on the front of Minsik’s suit, excitement screaming in his eyes.

 

Minsik deeply chuckles and held his son's shoulder, “Whoa hold it buddy, you will eventually! But now I need you to do something more important.”

 

Kyungsoo blinked, and stand back in a more serious face, as serious as any teenager like him could be. In moments like this, Minsik is truly proud of his son. At such a young age, Kyungsoo acted very maturely, that's why Minsik feels like he should put the idea now.

 

Minsik goes down on his knees to meet his eyes, “Sehun will be the leader of the group one day, and I need your help to raise him to be the next boss. Teach him everything you knew when I’m not around.”

 

Minsik’s tone was serious as he looked at his son dead in the eyes.

 

Kyungsoo might be young, but he could feel the responsibility he was laid upon. Sehun is his cute little brother, but he needs to grow strong in the world they live in. Kyungsoo felt his chest swelled up with pride for his first task.

 

“You can count on me…” Kyungsoo nods at his father, then followed by a cheeky smile, “…Boss.” He called, and Minsik smirked at his child.

 

“Soon Kyungsoo, when you’re strong enough, you’ll work by my side like you wanted to.” Minsik pinched the cute little cheeks, making Kyungsoo pout, couldn’t understand what is it with adults and pinching his cheeks?

 

“Now, let’s begin the educative part of the day! Listen close Kyungsoo, our allies and enemies, the history of our relationship with them is important when you do business with them, I expect you to remember all the names and faces I presented by the end of the week.”

 

“Yes Boss!”

 

Minsik returned to his table, followed by Kyungsoo with a wide smile on his face, and a notebook in hand. His heart is racing when he’s alone with his father to learn something new, from the Boss of such a powerful mob group himself. He tried to stay calm but can’t suppress the anticipation that one day too, he’ll be strong.

 

One day, he’ll be Boss’ right-hand man, so Kyungsoo can protect his family, and work beside his hero.

 

 

++++++++

 

 

He was living the dream, that Byun Baekhyun, looks like he’s enjoying himself and about to get stoned in his office. There’s a couple streaks of snow lined up on his desk, but he didn’t dare to snort that now, when death himself has appeared in front of him.

 

The man smelled like copper from the blood of all the guards he had outside this room. Baekhyun has heard of him, the man that wears a black suit and shirt underneath that buttoned to the neck, and no tie. Mock his height and his baby face, and you’re as good as dead. Choi Minsik’s right-hand man, a man that does the Choi group’s dirty work, Kyungsoo.

 

The man stood in the middle of his office, the two guards, one in each of his sides are on the floor, bleeding pools of blood. Kyungsoo has not said a word since he stepped into the room and killed both of them, and tucked his gun back into the gun holder inside his suit.

 

“W-What do I owe this visit Choi Kyungsoo.” Baekhyun started to converse, and calm the killing machine.

 

Kyungsoo barely made an expression, as he crossed his arms and looked around the office. Golden statues and furniture here and there, Byun Baekhyun was one of the leaders of The Choi’s drug cartel, was, of course he’s doing well.

 

“You live good Baekhyun.” Kyungsoo slowly walked closer to the younger man in a Hawaiian shirt, and sits across his desk.

 

Baekhyun sits up right when the man reek of blood is in front of him.

 

“Of course, i-it’s thanks to The Choi Group’s generosity.” Baekhyun started to stammer.

 

Kyungsoo darted his cold eyes at him, making Baekhyun chilled, “I suppose you know about the bombing incident, and what happened to our boss because of it.”

 

Kyungsoo folded his legs, voice as stable as always, no hint of malice, or any expression, but Baekhyun begun to sweat.

 

Shit. Baekhyun knows that was the end of him. He quickly reached the button under his desk, and the man in front of him charged him, but Kyungsoo was too late, the button was already pressed.

 

Kyungsoo hops over the desk and pulled Baekhyun from under the desk, using him as shield, when two other guards appear. The two bulky men charged him, he managed to shoot one, but the other one yanked him away from Baekhyun, well he tried.

 

Kyungsoo elbowed the man’s buff arms, make him cry in pain as his bones snapped under his flesh, surprised that a man half his size has broken his arms. Kyungsoo sees a metal reflecting light at the corner of his eyes, a knife on Baekhyun’s hands. He easily caught his scrawny hand, snatch the knife, and stabbed Baekhyun’s palms on to his desk.

 

“AAAAAAAAHHHHK” Baekhyun screamed, and before his beefy underlings could reach for him again, Kyungsoo throws a knife from inside his suit and it landed right between his eyes.

 

The bulky man landed on the floor, limp. Kyungsoo walked to the dead body and takes back his knife, and the blood manages to splatter across his face. Kyungsoo stood unfazed by the blood, he's seen blood splutter on his face hundreds of times already.

 

Kyungsoo looked back at the man on the table, grunting in pain, as his hand continues to bleed.

 

“Do I have to repeat my question?”

 

“Yes! Yes about Boss Minsik… T-That’s very unfortunate… please let me go, I didn’t do anything.” Baekhyun squirmed as Kyungsoo caged him in his arms. The look of Kyungsoo’s round eyes are vacant of pity, Baekhyun felt like a tiny little ant without value in those eyes.

 

“The bomber, give me his name Baekhyun.” Kyungsoo’s voice is nothing else than stoic, but Baekhyun felt the menace radiating from the unfazed figure.

 

The man pinned down by a knife in his hand quivered, by fear, confusion, and pain, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, I-I-I have no idea who it is… I didn’t even know his—AAAHHHHHKKK”

 

Another knife landed on his other hand, Kyungsoo leaned closer to the crying man, “Baekhyun… you know I hate people that waste my time. The name.”

 

Kyungsoo held Baekhyun by the face, making the scared man look at his bloody face.

 

“OKAY okay… it’s… Frankie okay… Frankie Armone.”

 

“And?”

 

Baekhyun looked up at the bloody face, "W-W-What?" Baekhyun stammer in his words.

 

“Your relation between him.”

 

Baekhyun looked away from the cold eyes, thinking of a way out, a lie, as soon as he thinks of a plan, he gave up. There’s no way he can escape Death, Baekhyun is as good as gone. He left one last scream of frustration, before gritting his teeth, it’s foolish of Baekhyun to turn against the Choi even the slightest.

 

Baekhyun knows that there’s going to be some punishment, that he’ll have some trouble running away, he didn’t know that the one that came for him is Death himself. He’s going to die by making quick money against the wrong side, Baekhyun feels mighty stupid now.

 

Once again, Baekhyun grunts, “I’m the one that supply him with materials, I… I also give boss’ schedule, the transaction is with someone that wears a mask, tall, medium built, wearing simple jerseys, he didn't seem to belong to any group. I don’t know who hired him and Frankie, I SWEAR.”

 

Kyungsoo didn’t change in expression, and gave the man’s pale face a little pat, “That’s easier isn’t it?”

 

Baekhyun’s tense shoulder relaxed a little, and a heavy sigh escaped his lips, “So, are you going to let me go now?”

 

“Sure, you told the truth.” Kyungsoo shrugged, and there’s a wash of relieve on Baekhyun’s face despite the excruciating pain.

 

Kyungsoo took one of his knives, and Baekhyun brings his free bloody hand up, reaching a syringe that he hid right under his shoulder.

 

Before Baekhyun could turn around and attack, a knife landed on his head, his body then laid completely limp on the table, eyes stared hollowly at the ceiling as the knife split his head open.

 

Kyungsoo took his knife and exits the room, through the corridor where a few guards he killed still around, and he sighed at the bodies. The pools of blood stained his shoes if it’s not cleaned properly. He called the cleaning team right before he attacked, they should’ve been here by now.

 

Julien is fucking late.

 

He finally exits the stuffy building, meeting the warm sea air by the docks. Kyungsoo leaned his back against the door frame with another man that’s been waiting for him there.

 

“The cartel is yours Xiumin, thanks for the info.” Kyungsoo took out his black handkerchief, wiping the blood from his face.

 

Xiumin took away the half-done cigar that sat on his lips and blow off the smoke, “You killed my cousin?” the blonde asked.

 

“Everyone that acts against The Choi group will be killed.” Kyungsoo made his tone a little bit lower, glaring at the young brand-new drug cartel leader.

 

Xiumin raised his hands defensively, smirking lazily, “Hey, I’m on your side, though I won’t be able to help you much as an informant now that I got this.”

 

Kyungsoo didn’t reply, honestly didn’t care. Xiumin has served on The Choi’s side for years as an informant, and now he retired as a drug cartel he took after ratting on Baekhyun, because it’s easier he said. Kyungsoo never questioned Xiumin’s loyalty, he’s smarter than his cousin, but when he makes the same mistake, then Kyungsoo won’t hesitate.

 

A few black SUV’s come from the distance and parked right in front of the building. People with black gloves and cleaning supplies pouring out and marched into the building. The cleanup team is late, and Kyungsoo is making a sour face at his long-time comrade.

 

“You’re late Julien.”

 

The way taller man smirked like he has done nothing wrong. Julien is everything Kyungsoo is not, tall, big build, and mouth as colorful as his wardrobe choices. Today he’s wearing a bright blue shirt with a bright pink shirt underneath with buttons opened to reveal his chest. Kyungsoo looked away from the bright colors and scowl.

 

“Better than not coming at all, unlike someone.” Julien put a sarcastic remark under his cheerful tone, rolling his eyes like a drama queen.

 

He’s been pulling that sassy card ever since he got back from France, and Kyungsoo is getting a bit sick of it.

 

“I already contacted him, must’ve been busy.” Kyungsoo brushed off Julien’s sass, but he’s not done yet.

 

“Being a fucking botanist couldn’t be that busy, he’s being a little brat.”

 

“Julien.” Kyungsoo puts pressure on his voice, warning Julien, but the taller man was unfazed, knowing that he’s right.

 

“Tell me if I’m wrong Kyungsoo, what kind of heir worked outside the group for years, he’s not fitted to be the Boss, you are! You’re the first fucking son.”

 

Julien taunts the smaller man, and Kyungsoo didn’t grow intimidated, he has defeated Julien lots of times in the past, and he won’t hesitate to do it again.

 

“You know why I can’t, I’m not having this argument again.”

 

Kyungsoo is glaring at him again, Julien knows his best friend enough to know that Kyungsoo has a little brother complex towards his half-brother. Kyungsoo has served beside the boss for years, and Julien saw himself how much Kyungsoo have grown. If anyone, Kyungsoo should've been the one that deserves the title Boss.

 

“You can't tell me to accept that weak-ass reason," Julien argued, and Kyungsoo has the perfect reply to that.

 

“What the Boss commands, goes, I’ve spent my entire life to make Sehun be the next Boss, and he will become one.” Kyungsoo deadpanned, and Julien replies him with a loud childish huff.

 

Despite being older than Kyungsoo, Julien is childish, WAY more childish that Sehun.

 

Kyungsoo smiled, winning the argument, “Let’s just go, I need to report this to Boss.” Kyungsoo turned around and slipped inside one of the SUV’s passenger seat, Julien followed suit and sit in the driver’s seat

 

The car now reeked of the smell of Iron, Julien didn't know how much did Kyungsoo kill now, but he can't see how much blood is on him. That’s the reason Kyungsoo wears black suits, and have tons of them at home, it’s clean looking, you won’t notice how much-dried blood stains it has.

 

Kyungsoo, or as his enemies called him “Death” itself, because his father often used Kyungsoo’s skill to do important dirty work and to kill someone sharply, and clean, Kyungsoo always execute perfectly.

 

This is not the first time Kyungsoo went mass killing. Now death has come to the streets, looking for the man behind his father’s bombing.

 

Kyungsoo looked dead straight to the road, with a face as still as stone, Julien couldn't guess what could be running in his mind, but then, he never completely did, that's what makes Kyungsoo an effective man. He’s unpredictable, and before you figure it out, he checkmates you.

 

“What are you gonna do when the kid bail?” Julien asked, and Kyungsoo didn’t bat an eyelash.

 

“He won’t…” Kyungsoo confidently says out of the blue, eyes looked determined as they stare into empty space.

 

“… but if he does, then I’ll drag him in any way necessary.”

 

 

++++++

 

 

AN: sorry I killed Baekhyun...

I just thought he looked badass and I want him to be the leader of the drug cartel :")

give kudos if you like it, comments and critics are most welcome!


	2. CH. 2 Loss

Sehun sat by the garden, a tiny place filled with flowers and small trees. At the back of their house, at the corner of the backyard, there’s a little greenhouse where the flowers bloom healthily, they’re all happy from the good care that Sehun and his mother gave them. His mother loves gardening, and so does Sehun. A metal garden table sat in the middle of the garden with five matching metal chairs surrounding it, so everyone the family to join them for tea.

 

Roses, lilies, daffodils, irises, all possible flowers in every color was there in this tiny little world that his mother created. Away from the blood and gore that is his father’s world, soon will be his world too, there’s this little peaceful haven. When he has come of age, he will be strong enough to lead. Right now, Sehun is nothing but a helpless kid.

 

Sehun looked down to his hands, where the white rose blooms on his praying hands. White rose that reminded him of his mother. Sehun knows that flowers are best to never be plucked from their stem, their beauty lasted longer that way. He did it out of conscious, now the flower will wilt in his hands.

 

Steps growing closer to him, Sehun looked up from his docked head to see who it is and was surprised to know the person standing before him. Wearing all black, his face shows remorse, an expression he never wore before. His brother was supposed to be in Europe for a month, but well, here he is now for the occasion.

 

Kyungsoo took one for the chairs and sits as close as possible to Sehun. The moment that his father contacted him about Lady Jihyo’s death, Kyungsoo booked the earliest ticket possible and fly back.

 

Lady Jihyo is the purest member of the family. Unlike Kyungsoo’s mother, Seungok, who was a daughter of another Mob leader, The Black Orchid Group. Seungok is the first wife and her marriage to Minsik was to conjoin the group’s power, their relationship is nothing but business.

 

That’s why she didn’t oppose when her husband wanted to marry another woman, Lady Jihyo, but Minsik marries Lady Jihyo out of love. Lady Jihyo was a mere florist, someone outside of this world, and yet she was killed with a bullet on her back, shot by who knows who and why.

 

His 10-year-old brother didn’t even cry. Just vacantly staring at his hands where he held a dying white rose.

 

Maybe he did cry, but Kyungsoo missed the tears and those eyes have long dried from those tears. Kyungsoo didn’t know what to say either, to see the usually cheerful and cheeky kid had become silent by grief.

 

“I thought you’re busy.” Sehun silently say, making the older brother looked up from the ground.

 

“Don’t be ridiculous, there’s nothing more important than this.” Kyungsoo didn’t mean to sound cold, but it does.

 

Sehun shrugged at him, he already knows how his brother tends to sound uncaring and nonchalant.

 

 “I didn’t think you’ll come, since she’s not your mom.”

 

“She’s yours, isn’t that reason enough for me to come?”

 

“I guess… thanks Kyungsoo.” Sehun said weakly.

 

He looked down to the rose on his hand, he should’ve protected the rose tree, not picking them like this. He should’ve taken care of it.

 

Drops of tears landed on the pure white petals, followed by the sobbing that escaped from his tightly shut lips. Sehun promised not to cry, not to mourn too long, but the person he loved the most is now gone, forever, the reality of it has only dawned on him now.

 

Sehun had been trained to control his emotions in certain conditions. Just like his brother when he was his age, Sehun is a black belt in Taekwondo, he can handle a few guns, throw a few knives close to the target, and he’s halfway memorized all of his father’s enemies and allies. Sehun was taught how to think rationally, and he knew his tears won’t bring back the dead, and yet he still cried. 

 

Sehun is still a kid after all, even though everyone called him a prodigy, guess he’s not a carbon copy of his brother like everyone expects him to be.

 

Kyungsoo on the other hand, as much as he knows it’s useless, he understood why Sehun cried, sobbing that loudly as his face begun to drench in his own tears. Seeing his brother cry affects him. It’s not his mother, but Kyungsoo felt the tinge pain for Sehun too. The older couldn’t figure out why either, but he knows one thing, that seeing Sehun like this stirred up something in him.

 

Hesitantly, Kyungsoo reached out to pat Sehun on the back, rubbing in a circular motion to soothe him. Sehun turned sideways and wrap his arms around his brother’s chest, burying his face to muffle his cries. The older brother bit his lip, and covered the smaller body with his arms, hugging him tightly. His chest, where Sehun’s tears landed is aching.

 

“You’ll teach me… right?” Sehun muffled voice hums against his chest, “… to be strong, I’ll find the killer… I’ll make them pay…”

 

As Kyungsoo held the smaller body in his arms, he got a glimpse of himself from Sehun. Surprised, that his little brother could resemble him, and somewhat proud what Sehun stood up stronger from his grief, finally.

 

He pushed the small shoulder away to meet eyes with his brother.

 

“I promise, I’ll teach you everything I know.”

 

As Sehun looked at him with determination on his tear stained eyes, Kyungsoo couldn’t choose whether to feel happy or sad. He patted away the tears, and looked at Sehun’s determined cold eyes with pride.

 

“One day, you’ll be stronger than me, and then—”

 

“I’ll become the boss” Sehun continued, “When that day comes, I’ll make everyone pay for taking my family away.”

 

Sehun growled, rather cutely for a kid’s voice, but Kyungsoo knew the look in those eyes, Sehun is born a killer, he just knew. One day he’ll lead with chest buffed and his men looking up to him in respect.

 

“I know how you feel Sehun, and trust me, I’ll train you to be strong, even stronger than me.”

 

“But what about you?”

 

Kyungsoo’s light heart dropped in an instant, “What about me?”

 

“You’re already old enough and you’re way ahead of me it’s not fair!! Dad would’ve given you the position instead of me!”  Sehun huffed, pouting as he pushed Kyungsoo away.

 

The older was amused, seeing how eager the little brat is, “Nope, he’ll definitely giving it to you.”

 

“What?? How would you know that?!”

 

Kyungsoo had his hand on the brat’s hair, messing up the perfectly combed hair. Sehun was still pouty, but accepting anyway after hearing those flattering words.

 

“Trust me Sehun, I know.”

 

 

+++++

 

 

Kyungsoo sat across the coffee from his father, sitting beside the older male is his mother, dressed in her usual thigh-high slit skirt, now paired with a dark red satin button-up shirt. The outfit she chooses always compliments the figure 8 she’s proud of, and her old age did not lessen her beauty at all.

 

Seungok always wore a cold expression, the only thing similar that Kyungsoo has from her, but her round eyes and pouty lips make her cute despite the few fine wrinkles on her face. Her hair tied up in a bun, with light makeup and her favorite dark plum lipstick. She looked way younger than her husband, because of her natural beauty and her actual age that stretched pretty far from him, and it looked like it stretched even further by how horrible her husband looked now.

 

Minsik was a fearful leader, sucked up by politicians for favors and help, feared by other mobs across Asia, but now, Minsik is lying lethargically on the couch with plastic tubes up his nose and IV lines on the back of his hand. His strong and stiff face now sags with patches of blue under his eyes.

 

The bomb was attached to his car, but luckily it exploded before Minsik could get into the car. Kyungsoo was in France at the time, working on the group’s branch of the casino business. Minsik was alone with his driver and one of his handyman. Minsik went ahead to the car when his handyman was still in the building and ‘taking care’ of another ex-business partner.

 

Though it was a premature explosion, Minsik was hit by the force of the bomb, making him slammed against the walls and hit by a few debris of the car. The metal pieces pierced his flesh, one was too close to the heart, and a few in other places that he was lucky enough nothing else hit the vital organs.

 

To make such mistake, the perpetrator is either a rookie, or a professional that meant to send a warning and not kill. Either is punishable by death.

 

“Who holds the southern cartel now Kyungsoo?” His father grumbled, with rust on his voice.

 

“Xiumin, Baekhyun takes part in the bombing, but the mastermind seems to not get their hands directly onto this, the man they send was wearing a mask.”

 

“Means that Baekhyun, our ex-ally, probably knows his face.” his mother added, and Kyungsoo nods.

 

“What could be the reason that someone wants to hide their identity from Baekhyun?” Seungok questioned.

 

“Baekhyun knows most of our men, he’s been working with us for a few years, there’s a probability that Baekhyun knows this masked man.” Minsik replies.

 

“It could be another of our ally teaming up against us, or it’s someone from our group.”

 

As soon as Kyungsoo stated that, the room grows silent, and colder, none dared to say anything. Both his parents are wearing a stiff emotion, knowing someone from the inside is aiming for them.

 

The Choi group is a very tightly knitted family, the members are orphans that were raised by Minsik’s right-hand men, that includes Kyungsoo and Julien. Julien himself has trained Kyungsoo before when they were in their teens. The Choi’s grow up together, even the more senior men here have served The Choi’s Boss from the previous generation.

 

Someone from the inside bends their loyalty, or angered by who knows what, and by their target, it seems that their reason is personal.

 

“We need to have Sehun here.” Minsik ordered, and Kyungsoo nods.

 

“I’ll get him.”

 

“He told you where he lives, but not me? Some son he is.” Minsik grumbled, his face clearly show shame and hurt, and his wife seems to notice the expression as well.

 

“What do you expect? Your relationship with him isn’t exactly the best since the last time.” Seungok remarked calmly, matter-of-factly too, the first lady is known to be curt, even towards her husband.

 

“He’s being a brat, he’s already 25, he should’ve worked under me years ago, and what did he do? He walked away, everything has been for nothing, that disappointing child.”

 

Kyungsoo felt a pinch on his chest when he hears his father’s remark, like pointing out that Kyungsoo has failed, but he knows Sehun more than his father does. If Sehun knows about his father’s condition, of course he’ll come back, he’ll join the group and be where he is needed by his family.

 

Seungok huffed with a degrading smirk on her face, “Only now you thought of him as disappointing? I knew he could never be as good as Kyungsoo, just stating the facts from what I see in his training.” Seungok remarked, making the other two males in the room glared at her.

 

Before anyone could add another argument, she pushed another complain, “Do we even have time for Sehun?” Seungok huffed, “There could be even more attacks after this, I could get attacked, and Kyungsoo could get attacked as well.”

 

“The more reason we need to inform Sehun, and Kyungsoo can protect himself.”

 

“Of course he can, but Sehun can’t?” Seungok snaps again, voice induced in mockery, it made Minsik scowl at his wife.

 

The air becomes thicker and Kyungsoo is stuck in the middle of their argument, again. Kyungsoo has never seen them act lovey-dovey, nor does he ever see Minsik share a loving stare like he gives to Lady Jihyo.

 

Since the death of his beloved second wife, Minsik has been colder, even more ruthless, and putting more expectation towards Sehun. Until now, the killer was never found, nor the reason, and Minsik has been in a rage and even more bitter since then. The wound never seemed to heal, nor that he tried to heal them. The passion for revenge is still in him. Back then, the only thing that could make Minsik smile was Sehun when he was cute and bubbly, devoted so obediently to his father.

 

Kyungsoo knows that no matter how much Sehun has rebelled Minsik still loves Sehun more, but so does Kyungsoo, the both of them raised Sehun together, so Kyungsoo knows the disappointed feeling his father felt, and how insulting his mother’s comment is.

 

“You don’t know about Sehun’s capability at all, you didn’t raise him like we did, you’re never present in his growth at all, I don’t want to hear you comment about him like that.”

 

Seungok snaps, quickly standing up, towering above her son, “What did you just say to your mother?” she deeply growls, eyes popped open with anger in her eyes.

 

Kyungsoo’s hands balled up into fists, inside his mouth his teeth gritted, but he took a deep breath and calm himself.

 

“I’m sorry, but I raise Sehun like you raise me, you understand, don’t you?” Kyungsoo puts a softer voice for his mother, and Seungok just huffed, before mellowing her emotions.

 

“Fine... C’mere.” Seungok opened her arms, and Kyungsoo hugs her obediently.

 

Seungok pats her son’s back for a few times before detaching herself, giving her most stoic face, mirroring Kyungsoo’s.

 

“Go now, get Sehun.” Seungok hushed him away with a smirk on his face.

 

Kyungsoo turned to Minsik and slightly bow before exiting the room. He sighed, feeling lighter that they didn’t get into another verbal fight. They didn’t hurt each other, but their words can be intense and nerve wrecking.

 

Seungok and her authority problems can be overwhelming for the two man in the family, she does have a controlling streak in her, but Sehun never had problems with her, he knows better than go against his stepmom. She leads this group alongside Minsik with an iron fist matching his, though she does give good advice sometimes, they get into each other’s skin often.

 

But that’s what Minsik needs, another point of view. There are times behind her back that Minsik would appreciate the things Seungok do for the group. They’re just a bunch of strong-headed people too proud to confess that they appreciate each other.

 

 

\------

 

 

Kyungsoo rarely visits Sehun, but they do keep in contact. They intentionally didn’t see each other often, a few people know Kyungsoo’s face, and not everyone knows Sehun’s yet. If they were spotted together by a dangerous person, Sehun’s ‘normal’ life will be anything but that.

 

Taking off his all-black suit, and change into a more casual wear, Kyungsoo heads over to Sehun’s apartment where he lives with his girlfriend. Both of them knew each other for a long time and have been living together ever since Sehun lived in his own apartment.

 

Kyungsoo is taking Julien with him, who insist to come along because this former mentor also has a lot to say to Sehun.

 

Wearing a moss green parachute jacket over a blue shirt, pair of fit jeans and black leather boots, topping it all off with a black beanie. Kyungsoo was not a fashion guy at all, no one teaches fashion in training. Julien has no trouble in that, he looked cool with simple sportswear, but it’s thanks to his build that he looked good in anything.

 

Kyungsoo pressed the bell to the room, he waited exactly 60 seconds, but no answer. He pressed the bell again, no one answers. It’s 7.30 PM, Sehun should’ve been done with work and at home right now. His girlfriend, Natasha, worked at a bar at nightshift, which is still 4 hours away. She should still be in the apartment right now, but no one answered. Though there are possibilities that he goes out on a date with her or goes out drinking with his coworkers.

 

“Should we check his workplace?” Julien asked as he laid his back against the wall, huffing like an impatient child.

 

“No, let me call him first”

 

Kyungsoo called the home line and pressed his ears to the door. The phone inside rings, and he’s right, nobody picked up, not even any sounds of footsteps. Kyungsoo went to call Sehun’s private number, it will be the 8th attempt for the last three days.

 

As the line connects, Kyungsoo heard a phone rings inside the room. Julien noticed that too, Sehun’s phone could be inside the room. They looked at each other with matching knitted eyebrows and a matching thought, ‘Something’s wrong’.

 

Sehun’s not picking up his phone for days, and the left it inside, everything screamed bad news.

 

Kyungsoo took out his spare key, Sehun didn’t voluntarily give it to him, but Kyungsoo made it anyway in case things like this happens.

 

The door is open, both of them rushed into the empty room. It’s a mess inside, bottles of wines, alcohol, and beer cans scattered on the floor.

 

Yet it’s not the only thing that silenced them, there is dried blood on the floor, looked like a pool of it, and then drops of blood scattered around it. Someone was hurt here, and it looks like it could be days ago. There’s a lot of question in their minds, whose blood is it? How long ago this blood was spilled? Did Sehun fight? Or was he kidnapped?

 

First, it was Boss’s bombing, now Sehun, who’ll be next? Kyungsoo? Seungok? Or was it even the same perpetrator? Now Sehun is missing, by what and why is still a fresh mystery to the both of them.

 

 

+++++

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The more I write this story the more I feel how cheesy it is  
> and the more aware I am that I shouldn’t name it Bona Fide  
> but ayyyy I’m still going with it anyway.


	3. CH. 3 Gladiolus

Kyungsoo is a patient man, he was thought that patience is key to a more critical thinking, but he’s been waiting for 20 minutes and his mind kept rambling at what on earth is making Sehun so slow. Kyungsoo is throwing his knife up and down, flipping it around his palms, getting bored of waiting, he felt his back slumped lower from the wall the laid on. He finally has time to spend practice with Sehun all day and now the kid is being tardy.

 

Finally, he hears running steps around the corner of the building, from the corner of his eyes, he spotted Sehun finally geared up, running with something in hand.

 

“Took you long enough kiddo.” Kyungsoo pushed his back up from the wall and saw something non-hunting related in Sehun’s hand, a flower crown.

 

Kyungsoo raised his eyebrow, “You were making that?”

 

“No, I made it hours ago, but forgot where I put it haha” Sehun chuckled, and hand over the crown rather cheerfully.

 

Kyungsoo took it, a bit clueless about what to do with such a useless thing. He knew back then Lady Jihyo often makes these types of stuff, but he thought Sehun outgrew it, not continue it on. The crown is not as big as he remembered. It’s rather thin, seems like it’s made with only twigs, vines, a few leaves and red flowers delicate vibrant red petals that have tiny little waves strategically placed around the circle.

 

“It’s gladiolus.”

 

“What?”

 

“Those red flowers, it’s called the gladiolus flower, though it didn’t seem like it, it represents strength and faithfulness, the plant itself looked like swords or spikes, so I just… thought I’ll make one for you, because it suits you.”

 

Kyungsoo’s lips clenched shut now feeling touched but baffled, he can’t believe at the age of 13 Sehun is still acting sweet like a child. Kyungsoo definitely didn’t recall ever acting this way when he was Sehun’s age. Then Sehun shouldn’t be behaving like this, but Kyungsoo can’t help but feel happy towards the useless gift.

 

_Strength and faithfulness huh?_

 

“It also means love, passion, and sincerity.”

 

And that’s where Kyungsoo squints his eyes, at the cheesy words that were supposed to be him. Sehun only smiled at his brother’s stiff face, and for other people, scary and intimidating, but the younger only rolled his eyes.

 

Sehun knows enough to understand who his brother is. A killer, his dad’s go-to person, and because of him Kyungsoo is sent all over the globe to handle ‘business things’. Sehun has not only heard of it, he had seen Kyungsoo killed, multiple times, in one of those take your son to your work day. Sehun barely blinked and the men twice larger than his brother died instantly. Sehun was starstruck.

 

The men have the utmost respect for his brother, as much as they have for him. They called Sehun young Boss, and Kyungsoo by his name, but their faces don’t lie. Whenever they called Kyungsoo name, their face turned into stone, very different than their cooing smile at their young Boss. He always thought of them as friends, though some already had wrinkles and grey hair, they are as much as a family as Kyungsoo is to him.

 

Kyungsoo however, never seem them that way. He sees them as underlings, he’s cold towards his men, curt and respectable, feared by the group’s enemy, but to Sehun, he was never any of those things, or at least, Sehun never see him that way.

 

“I know people are afraid of you, but I know my brother more than they do, and these flowers does suit you.” And that’s the reason why.

 

Sehun cheered, proud of his knowledge, then he finally realized that Kyungsoo didn’t really care about these types of stuff, that stiff dedicated robot. Maybe Sehun didn’t know his brother as much as he thought.

 

“You don’t have to wear it! We can just put it inside first, it can be a decoration, and you can throw it away if it wilts.” Sehun awkwardly rambled, suddenly feeling shy about the girly flower crown he made.

 

Yet Kyungsoo only shrugged and put it on his head.

 

“It’s a bother to go inside again, I’ll wear it for now.”

 

Kyungsoo walked on, leaving a perplexed Sehun behind him.

 

“Cmon kid, or I’ll leave you.”

 

Sehun runs to catch up with him, who headed to the west part of the Choi’s private house, deeper into the forest where they do gun and knife practice.

 

Sehun walked beside his brother with a stoic expression on his face and a very vibrant flower crown on his head. It made him taller, but only adding a few inches to their already close difference in height. Sehun smirked, he is definitely going to catch up to his brother.

 

_Kyungsoo is already 23, and he can’t grow any taller than that! Haha!_

 

“Why are you grinning out of nowhere?” Kyungsoo asked, and Sehun shook his head, Kyungsoo then dropped it too. Sehun is always a smiley kid, Kyungsoo often caught him smiling at the most simple things.

 

“You know… I thought you’ll tell me to stop.” Sehun cast his eyes down.

 

“Stop you from what?”

 

“Taking care of the garden, and giving you ‘useless shit’, you always hate things that are not practical.”

 

Kyungsoo hums, agreeing with him. What’s the use of this girly flower crown in his head? Kyungsoo can never understand these girly sentiments, flower crowns, chocolates and fabricated sugary words as he seen in the movies. His underlings would laugh at him is they saw, behind his back of course, no one dared to laugh in his face. Soon enough, this crown will wilt too, completely useless.

 

“I know I should’ve stopped you, but the garden is a memorial from your mom, right? And you love flowers.”

 

Sehun pressed his lips and nods, he never said that to anyone, that the reason he loves flowers was that it reminded him of his mother. Being around flowers somewhat made Sehun more cheerful, more open, and Kyungsoo knew that.

 

“Then I have no reason to stop you.” Kyungsoo deadpanned, leaving Sehun speechless yet again. He was sure that Kyungsoo would say it’s nice, but this is the last time, when you’re this age, you have to stop. At least that’s what his father has been saying… ,

 

Kyungsoo took his happiness into consideration, despite his goal and his father is the same and put him into the same expectations. Sehun didn’t know what to feel about that…

 

“And I like your gift.”

 

And for the first time in a long time, Sehun sees his brother smiled. He remembered when he was young that Kyungsoo always smiled when they play, he never knew where it had gone afterward. They just disappeared by time. Sehun thought it’s just character, or maybe Sehun is not that impressive yet to his expectations.

 

This proves Sehun wrong… This means Sehun is going to give even more ‘useless’ gifts.

 

 

++++++++++

 

 

From the condition of the room, it seems that Sehun was absent for a few days. The stains on the dirty dishes are dried, and empty instant noodles by the sink are definitely old. Julien took a sample of the blood to the lab hours ago, and now it’s time for Sehun’s day job to start.

 

It was a greenhouse filled with plants, a botanical museum and research center. Sehun worked here for a few years now as one of the scientists here. It’s something he had wanted to do, things that made him happy. Kyungsoo could approve of that, since he heard the news from Sehun himself the night he got called to deliver the news. In all Sehun’s adult life it was the first time Kyungsoo heard him had such a childlike glee.

 

Sehun has a good life in the outside world, and he’s careful. For the sake of keeping him and his girl friend safe, he make a fake citizen card under a different family name, Oh Sehun. If people knew that he was a Choi, it would be dangerous. Though not a lot of people knew, but The Choi group being a criminal gang is the city’s open secret. Kyungsoo thought Sehun could handle it.

 

Now, this happens. Sehun is gone, and so is his girlfriend, in such a dire timing too. With Julien already investigating the owner of the spilled blood, Kyungsoo got to investigate Sehun’s workplace to see if anyone knew about Sehun’s disappearance, and planned to go to the bar where his girlfriend worked at.

 

Kyungsoo went to the front desk where a woman stands by there. She made eye contact with Kyungsoo before he could reach the desk.

 

“Hello, how may I help you?” The woman asked with a friendly smile.

 

“Yeah, I’m here for Oh Sehun? We promised to meet here today.”

 

Hearing the undercover name, the woman’s smile fell, and Kyungsoo knew something must’ve happened.

 

“I’m sorry, Oh Sehun didn’t work here anymore.”

 

Kyungsoo fight back the twitch wanting to surface “Really? Since when?”

 

“For about a week.”

 

And not once in those seven days Sehun ever told anyone, Kyungsoo wanted to understand that Sehun probably ashamed if he’s fired, since Sehun practically dropped everything for his normal life. Kyungsoo just thought Sehun was more open to him, there has to be a reason behind the discretion.

 

“Oh, um, do you have his address? I need to meet him.”

 

“I suggest you don’t kid! He’s a gangster!” A man loudly states, Kyungsoo turned to his side to see a man towering beside him, with a foul face, and another man beside him looked worried, both wearing lab coat over their casual clothes. Kyungsoo clenched his fist, angry because Sehun’s cover is blown and this ignorant smug piece of shit just called him a kid.

 

“Gangster? Sehun?? I… couldn’t have imagined, he looked reserved…” Kyungsoo looked dejected, horrified, and it seems that the taller man is easily fooled.

 

“Yeah he acts timid with us around, and he acts well too! This didn’t get to the news but, his girlfriend—”

 

“Sanghyuk… we shouldn’t talk about dead people.” His worried friend cuts him short.

 

_Dead? Who?_ Kyungsoo can’t show it, the anger and horror raising up to his throat. He knows they haven’t said who yet, but dammit they’re talking about Sehun and the next word is dead.

 

The man with the name Sanghyuk leaned down to Kyungsoo’s ear, completely ignoring his friend.

 

“His girlfriend was killed, laid there in the middle of our garden! In her chest, there was an engraving of his name, Choi Sehun, definitely from the Choi Group, right? Could you believe that a gangster would slip into our workplace, he must’ve planned something! Like bomb the place? I don’t know!” Sanghyuk’s voice growing louder in every word.

 

“That’s… wow, that’s awful! I can’t believe that happened…” Kyungsoo was shocked, he acted the words, but not the expression.

 

“I know right? Of course he immediately got fired, and since the museum didn’t want bad words to go out in public, we paid the media hush money and—"

 

“Ahem, you just said everything to this very not suspicious man over here.” His friend sighed defeatedly, and Sanghyuk’s face comically paled and slap his mouth shut.

 

“Oh me? No, I’m not from the media! I contacted him to show me his projects, I’m a student too, I was about to write a thesis based on his experiments.” Kyungsoo defended, again, the man seemed convinced.

 

“Too bad kid, we didn’t keep his experiments, he brought them with him, but hey, if you give credit to my name, I think I can show you mine” Sanghyuk playfully wrapped his arms around Kyungsoo’s small shoulder.

 

Kid. The word rings in his head, if only he’s alone now, the man would be dead with a single snap on the neck.

 

“Sure! Thanks a lot Mister!”

 

 

++++

 

 

After a long torturous hour, Kyungsoo finally exits the building with useless notes of the ignorant man’s research in his hand. Now safe and secure inside the rundown blue sedan he used for undercover, he immediately contacted Julien, telling him he already finished investigating Sehun’s workplace.  Not even a minute passed until Julien’s caller ID popped out of the screen.

 

“I got an info, we don’t know whose it is yet but it’s not period blood.” The other line stated as soon as the line connects. When they see the blood on the carpet it was one of their possibility, since he lived with his girlfriend, but then again it wouldn’t have pooled like that.

 

“Then it’s Sehun’s.” Kyungsoo said with a deep sigh.

 

“How did you know?”

 

“I just found out Natasha was killed in the greenhouse a few days ago, with Choi Sehun engraved on her chest.”

 

The other line went quiet, then followed by a deep sigh and a low curse. Kyungsoo couldn’t imagine Julien’s face right now. That expressive face must’ve been frozen for once, or maybe he’s cursing inside his head because he’s somewhere with people.

 

“Now what?” Julien’s voice sounded stressed, Kyungsoo could say the same right about now.

 

“We got two things on our hands to investigate, Frankie, and now, this killer, I want you to check on Natasha’s postmortem information”

 

The other line sighed, “I’ll deal with Frankie, and how about Natasha’s case”

 

“No, I’ll deal with Frankie, Natasha’s parents already know my face, I don’t think they’ll be friendly with me after knowing the name on their daughter’s chest.” Kyungsoo cuts

 

“Wha-- HOW?”

 

“I picked him up from Natasha’s house when they were little.”

 

“Well dude, I can’t fucking go, look at me!”

 

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and sighed, though Kyungsoo can’t ‘see’ him, he knew what Julien meant. He has a body of a bodybuilder, in any clothes he would still look intimidating. Actually, all of Choi group’s men is intimidating, and it’s not like they can assign just anyone for this case, there’s a mole inside the group.

 

“Hey, what about that cute newbie?” Julien sang, Kyungsoo can almost picture him smirking in this tone.

 

Kyungsoo searched his memory of this ‘cute newbie’ and finally pictured a 17-year-old orphaned goof that they just recruited over a year ago, Julien personally trained him, for whatever reason. Kyungsoo is not comfortable in handing this mission to someone new, but since it’s Julien’s choice…

 

“Can we trust him?”

 

“100 percent, I think he’ll do a good job of pretending to be innocent, since he kinda is.” Julien sang, seemingly interested in the idea.

 

“Send him right away, I want to know what happened to her, and I want you to dig in what the police already got on her case”

 

“Consider it done.” Julien confirmed, since he was undercover as a captain for 10 years, it should be easy to infiltrate.

 

“Good, I’ll deal with Frankie.”

 

 

++++++


	4. CH. 4 Deal

“You’ve been giving our Boss a lot of problems Mr. Cooper”

 

Kyungsoo stood there in the door frame, a trickle of blood on his left cheek and who knows how much is on his suit. A nightmare to rivals of The Choi Group and anyone that do the wrong, the right-hand man in all black and blood on his face.

 

The so-called Mr. Cooper was a silver fox, the CEO of HNM Television network after he retired from being a news anchor. Loved by many, for the braveness of his words and a rather attractive face in a large age group, a perfect person to brainwash the people, but this is a cruel world. To be on the top is to play dirty, and Mr. Anderson Cooper is no different.

 

The adored face gasped, jolted to his feet when they meet eyes, dropping his glass of brandy.

 

“How… You couldn’t have been here… There are people in the building, and the guards are—”

 

Anderson shut his mouth almost immediately, he already knows where his guard is, dead in their place. There are no people in the building, not anymore, a fake fire alarm and the one in Anderson’s floor has been disarmed from a few days ago. The people are dismissed by the managers Kyungsoo paid by a third person.

 

“We put you in that seat Mr. Cooper, and you’ve been investigating our human trafficking ring, with a camera.” Kyungsoo steps forward, only a few strides but it’s menacing as Kyungsoo growing near to the 45-year-old man that pressed his back against the window wall.

 

“I-I I can’t NOT report it… it’s dangerous, people need to know! That’s why I’m here, to let people know the truth.”

 

“What you do is not our business, but we have a deal Mr. Cooper. We gave you the seat, and you protect the secrecy of our operation.”

 

Kyungso flicked his wrist and when Anderson put his eyes on the hand, the barrel of a gun is already in front of him.

 

“Now, Boss Minsik is being generous, he’ll give you one more chance.” Kyungsoo has his foot on Anderson’s stomach, and felt it raising up and down rapidly. Anderson’s blue eyes staring eye to eye with the barrel as he tries to accept his fate.

 

“Dispose of your data, or die of suicide.” Kyungsoo pointed his gun right beside Anderson’s arms right towards the glass, where it stares down to the asphalt 40 stories below.

 

“But the wall is bulletproof, you can’t—”

 

Kyungsoo pulled the triggers a few times and the bullet went through the thick glass, leaving a long crack behind the whimpering body. Anderson twitched away from the shots but Kyungsoo’s foot made him stay put.

 

“You think I wouldn’t know?

 

There’s a quiet gunshot behind Kyungsoo, and then a sound of a body fell with a loud thud. Anderson peered beside Kyungsoo’s shoulder and see a man in all black tactical uniform with the lower half of his face covered with a matching black cloth. The tall man standing in a cocky posture with a sniper leaning against his broad shoulder.

 

“Who is that? I-I thought you worked alone.”

 

Kyungsoo put the barrel of the gun against Anderson’s cheek, and push his face back to look at Kyungsoo.

 

“He’s the least of your problems, you have a choice to make, now, choose.” Kyungsoo pulled another gun from under his suit, an AR style pistol with the same special bullets to break the bulletproof glass.

 

Anderson gulped, followed by the tremble of his lips and hands. He blinks, before returning his gaze with confidence and acceptance in his eyes.

 

“I’d rather die.”

 

Without another moment, Kyungsoo pulls fire and the wholes formed here and there making wide cracks around the glass until finally, it shattered big enough for Anderson to fall. Kyungsoo’s foot now back to the ground, and he didn’t need to look down, the murmurs of screams from down below means he needs to exit quickly.

 

Kyungsoo grabbed Anderson’s laptop and a flash disk he quietly took from Anderson’s suit. He brings he wrist up to his lips, “Cleaning team, In.” and not 3 seconds pass people in HNM janitor uniform entered the floor and headed to the room he’s in.

 

He and the sniper man walked in the opposite ways from the janitors, passing the bodies that scattered on the floor and quickly being chopped up and store into the garbage bag by the cleaning team. They dump their weapons there for the cleaning team to carry. They took off their clothes, revealing a more casual outfit inside.

 

Kyungsoo is lucky this time that the blood didn’t seep through to stain his undercover outfit. A yellow mustard tee with jogging pants, a black surgical mask in his pocket to hide from the camera. The man beside him is completely topless, getting rid of his vest but keeping his black combat pants and boots. One of the men in the cleaning team toss him a loose hoodie and he tucked his face into the hood and put on the same black surgical mask. The man nodded and give the janitor a thumbs up.

 

“Found the data in his home?” Kyungsoo asked, and the taller man beside him hums, “and his partner?” Kyungsoo continued, as the both of them exits the floor through the emergency stairs, it’s a long way down but had to be done to hide from the cameras. They’re on the top floor and Kyungsoo had already disabled the one on this floor.

 

“Had to sedate him, he didn’t see me.” The muffled voice reply.

 

“Good, you got the hang of it pretty well Sehun.”

 

Sehun raised his hand for a high five, which Kyungsoo pretends not to see until Sehun finally high five himself.

 

 

Their car is waiting in a dark alley behind the building, along with the cleaning team’s vans. A rusty dusty sedan that made them blend into the road. The road on the back of the building is pretty quiet since Anderson’s body is hogging all the attention in front of the building. Kyungsoo drove away, passing the ambulance that drives away from them at a quick speed. The police should be slower, since Kyungsoo already paid them to wait, at least until the cleaning team is done.

 

“What would you’ve done if I’m not here, that man sneaked behind you and you let him!” Sehun tore away his mask, giving his brother a stink eye.

 

“I know you’re coming, that’s why I let him.”

 

“And how would you know when—” Sehun paused, giving the older man a pissed off huff, “This is the 10th time you tapped my phone! Can’t you give this teenager reaching his puberty some privacy??”

 

“I’m doing this for your safety—”

 

“Nanananananana I’m Kyungsoo I’m all ice, the north pole got nothing on me, I kill people but I’m a mother hen inside.” Sehun mocked, crossing his hands and make his face frowns as deep as he can.

 

Kyungsoo turned his wheels, making the car wave violently and Sehun’s head thumps against the window. Sehun gasped, with mouth gaped open at how offended he is, and begin tickling Kyungsoo, which is not ticklish and just sit there indifferently.

 

“I’m not ticklish Sehun” Kyungsoo informed.

 

“Awwww, but you used to be!” Sehun finally gives up and give his brother a shoulder bump before laying his back on the seat.

 

Kyungsoo gives a soft ‘hmph’ at his childish brother. He has grown taller than him at the age of 17, Kyungsoo will not expect any less from his father’s genes. Face growing more mature as well as his skills. Today is the 12th time Sehun has help along. A field test Sehun called it, and Kyungsoo has never bee more proud.

 

“Have you learned mixed martial arts from Julien yet?”

 

Kyungsoo randomly asked, and Sehun nods.

 

“Did it last month, can’t say it’s easy but finally!”

 

Kyungsoo scoffed, can’t believe that his friend was beaten that fast, Kyungsoo beats Julien in mixed martial arts when he’s 20, and Julien was 25, Sehun did it at 17, that means Sehun will be stronger than him if he keeps this up.

 

“Let’s spar tomorrow Kyungsoo!” Sehun challenged, there’s a little taunt in his voice, and Kyungsoo noticed the confidence in his voice.

 

“Sure.”

 

“But with a bet.” Sehun stated, Kyungsoo’s eyebrow twitched again, and slightly glanced at his little brother that’s wearing a serious face.

 

“What do you want?” Kyungsoo folded his arms, cutting to the chase, and Sehun seems flustered.

 

“If I win, I want to go to high school.”

 

Kyungsoo knit his eyebrows together, confused, “But you already finished High school education from homeschooling--”

 

“I know, but I want to go to a public high school”

 

Sehun’s voice completely level, calm, and serious, despite the ridiculousness of his request. The cute Sehun has long gone now, and now Kyungsoo knew there must be something behind his request.

 

“First, you wanted to go to university majoring Botanical science, now this? Don’t tell me Natasha talked you into this.”

 

“N-Natasha? I didn’t even stay in touch with her after she graduates middle school!” Sehun looked away, hiding his face.

 

Kyungsoo didn’t show anything in his face, but he knew already that Sehun always has secretly met up with her. He let it slide most of the times, but with Kyungsoo taking off his sight from Sehun more, he didn’t know how many times they actually meet.

 

“And it’s not like I’m selfish! I’m doing a double degree, the major I like, AND the Major dad wanted, that’s fair.” Sehun added.

 

Kyungsoo can’t believe Sehun really go through with his hobby of tinkering with plants, to the point where he could get his stubborn dad to agree to the double degree. Kyungsoo always knows the calm Minsik, but that’s because Kyungsoo is not as rebellious as Sehun to go against what Minsik has decided for him, like this for example.

 

Minsik didn’t show it much to Sehun, but his father feels happy to know that his son is a spitting image of his beloved wife. Kyungsoo often finds the older man visiting the garden Sehun took care off and smiled happily. It was partially the reason why Kyungsoo let Sehun’s hobby thrive. Instead of showing that expression, Minsik often acts cold to Sehun because he wants him to look up to where his father is, well, mission accomplished. Sehun always looked up to his father in wonder and looked to Kyungsoo in the same manner.

 

But Kyungsoo doesn’t care about his major, he can take whatever he wanted as long as he knows all the necessaries. But this outsider case is more important.

 

Kyungsoo already had this talk with Sehun. Keep regular people out, they look people like them ill sometimes, and then they’ll do inhumane things to them, though he believes that Sehun could protect himself, people outside the world, get hurt. Example, Sehun’s mom, she couldn’t protect herself, and ended up dead.

 

Yet Sehun still sticks onto this friend, Natasha Bergner, a blond blue-eyed girl of German nationality that was raised here since she was very little. She snooped into the house once when they were children and befriends Sehun, and it seems like they keep it up until now.

 

Kyungsoo did a background check on her just in case a couple years back. Natasha and her family are clean from all crimes and any black-market crimes. Just a usual teenager.

 

“You really think I wouldn’t know Sehun? You need more practice to hide things from me.” Kyungsoo smirked, yet sighing defeatedly.

 

Sehun only shrugged, he knew there is no escaping his brother’s eye no matter how long he’s away from home. Since he was never stopped, he kept meeting the girl, someone he sees as his best friend. A beacon of light, a fresh breath of air, something new and innocent from his life, and Sehun felt like he found a new world. Something normal, and he’s addicted.

 

“Don’t you think I need to socialize?” Sehun asked again, Kyungsoo can bet it’s what Natasha told him to do.

 

“I brought you to meetings, parties with influential people, you talked to high-class people, isn’t that more beneficial than conversing with some stupid hormonal unstable teenagers?”

 

“Hey! I’m a teenager too! Natasha has been telling me about this prom thing, it looked fun, and I wanted to go.”

 

Kyungsoo finally fit the puzzle together, he never experienced it, but he knew what prom is. Sehun liked this Natasha girl. He sighed exasperatedly, there’s nothing Kyungsoo can do about that now.

 

“Even if you go to high school, you only have a year to go through it.”

 

“It’s okay, I just want to—”

 

“Take Natasha for that prom?” Kyungsoo finished the sentence.

 

Sehun was about to deny that with all his might, but then shut his mouth when he realized who he’s going to lie to.

 

It’s not that Sehun is ashamed of his feelings towards the girl, he’s young, yes, but Sehun knows the difference between a hormonal feeling and a deep one, or at least that’s what he thought. Natasha knows who Sehun is, never really told her in exact words, but Natasha has known long ago and still sticks with him.

 

“I’ll protect her you know? I won’t let that happen.” Sehun stated, with a glint of determination in his eyes. Kyungsoo sees it as nothing more than a child playing hero, but that’s what Sehun is, a child. He can be 17 but in Kyungsoo’s eyes he’s still a child that needs mentoring, but ifSehun could earn it…

 

“Only if you beat me.”

 

“Oh, you can count on me, I’ll beat you.”

 

Sehun’s face light up, eyes filled with hope. Kyungsoo has a smug smile on his face, did Sehun really think he can easily beat Kyungsoo?

 

 

++++++++

 

 

“BAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHA” Two men behind the door frame have their heads back as they roared with laughter. Kyungsoo already went through this for a couple of times, seeing large men laugh at him at first sight.

 

Frankie lived a very carefree live, in a very lightly guarded fancy apartment in the heart of the city. He was known to be a little bit crazy and reckless. It also seems like he didn’t tell his bodyguards that Kyungsoo was coming.

 

Kyungsoo waited until they finished laughing and those lowering stare filled with mockery stared down at him, Kyungsoo thought he had already made himself known to never see those eyes again. Well, he’s always up to remind people.

 

Both of them at least one head and a half taller than Kyungsoo. Typical, they had handguns tucked inside the band of their jeans and one carry an extra AK-47 slung across his chest. One is tall and thin, and another is bulky, both smelled the same reek of cigarette and wears a matching dumb sneer.

 

“Look kid, Frankie ain’t got business with you, play dress up somewhere else.” The bulky one mocks as the thin one laughs.

 

Kyungsoo steps back as one of them slammed the door in front of his face. Right before the door slams shut, Kyungsoo’s kick beat it from closing and it slammed into the thin’s face instead. While that one is wavering down to the floor holding his broken nose, Kyungsoo hits the bulky man’s hand away before he could reach his gun. Kyungsoo jumped and land a high roundhouse kick at the man’s head.

 

The thin one is covering up quickly, getting his AR in hand and pointed at Kyungsoo. A few shots fired sloppily and Kyungsoo easily ducked and slide forwards, kicking away the gun before landing a hard punch on the man’s bony stomach and he wavers again. On the corner of his eyes, the bulky one has his hands on his own gun. Kyungsoo grabbed the thin man by the shirt and yank him in front as a shield. Bullets landed on the man in his hand, and he throws the body to the bulky man, who quickly elbowed him away but it’s too late. Kyungsoo already has his own gun between the taller man’s eyes.

 

An ugly frown makes that ugly face even uglier, “Who are you man?” the bulky man narrowed his eyes.

 

“I’m just a kid playing dress up.” Kyungsoo shrugged, making the man twitch and charge him.

 

Tried to charge him, but Kyungsoo has his other hand already on his chest with a knife. The man stabs himself with Kyungsoo’s waiting knife, and he joined his friend on the floor.

 

Amateurs. Frankie didn’t even try.

 

He opened the wooden door to the left of the room. There’s another crowd inside, a different type that he just killed. As soon as eyes were on him, the girls inside have a sultry smirk on their face. They barely have clothes on, and they made their way towards Kyungsoo walking away from the only one that’s left in bed Frankie. Sprawled on top of the bed, only with boxers on.

 

“Who might you be?” One of the three girls moaned. Before they could put their hands on Kyungsoo, he pulls out his gun and shot the ceiling.

 

Their lazy eyes turn alert and they run pass Kyungsoo with high pitch scream. Frankie laughed as his girls run away like scared hens. His lazy down casted eyes didn’t shift when they meet Kyungsoo. Unlike every one that fears him, Frankie looked like he just met an old friend as a soft smile painted on his face. He stood up, with a glass of wine on his hand, groggily steps towards the all black outfit and blood on half of his face.

 

“It’s been years since I saw you, but you didn’t change at all! To what do I owe this visit?” Frankie spoke with adoration in his voice, his eyes mirror the same expression as he speaks.

 

“You know why I’m here Frankie.” Kyungsoo cut to the chase.

 

“Oh c’mon, at least act for me! Isn’t this supposed to be hush hush? And please, call me Donghae again, come sit.”

 

Kyungsoo comply. They sat in a sofa chair by the window, right in front of the messy bed. Donghae offered the man some wine, which Kyungsoo declined. Donghae shrugged and drank straight from the bottle.

 

“It’s about the bomb I made for Minsik, isn’t that right?”

 

Kyungsoo didn’t have to nod or say yes, Donghae already knew.

 

“It was a man, wearing a very kinky ski mask, he didn’t say much but gives me an envelope filled with a hefty amount of money and information for me to comfortably attach the bomb. I don’t think I recognize that body… or his smell, or those eyes…” Donghae closed his eyes, dreamily sighing a moan, before opening his eyes to a frowning man in front of him.

 

“I’ve never seen him when I was still in the group, but I know who he worked for, one of my girls latched onto him before he leaves, and sneak one of my devices to his phone.” Donghae almost sounds like a moan as he speaks, winking at Kyungsoo.

 

“So?” Kyungsoo was getting impatient with Donghae’s antics, yet the younger man seemed to be amused the more that Kyungsoo showed his face.

 

Donghae smiled in satisfaction, somewhat feeling excited. Donghae kneels in front of the man that sits like a king on his couch, leaning down to his ears and whisper. Kyungsoo didn’t pull back, knowing this is also Donghae’s antics, laying his hands on everything that moves. He whispered a name and other few things, lowly growls on Kyungsoo’s ear. A hand slipped under Kyungsoo’s palms, Donghae’s, and leaving a small chip in his hand, assuming it is the data from tapping the mystery man’s phone.

 

Kyungsoo nods and muttered a thank you. Donghae slowly, almost unwillingly, pulled back and stood up on his feet.

 

“Now, my payment.” Donghae reminded.

 

 “How much?” Kyungsoo stood up as well, his hand reaching his pocket to write him a cheque.

 

“Kill me Kyungsoo.” Donghae almost sounded pleading.

 

Kyungsoo’s face twitched at the request, and he pulled back his hand. He knew Donghae was a bit of an oddball, a genius, but unstable and messy.

 

“Why?” Kyungsoo asked, confused at the younger’s behavior. Donghae only shrugged without wiping off that soft smirk from his face, making the older man narrowed his eyes.

 

“Is there someone on your tail? I can take care of them as payment instead.”

 

“Nothing like that, you think if there is, I couldn’t take care of them myself?” Donghae started to laugh dryly.

 

His hand reached for Kyungsoo’s shoulder, the older man didn’t even flinch as Donghae pressed his body against him.

 

“Kill me, like this, stab me in the heart… and let me look at you.”

 

Donghae’s eyes matched a very mentally disturbed man. His deep sunken eyes were painted reddish around the skin, his wide sad smile as tears started to drop. Kyungsoo didn’t understand why would Donghae wanted to be killed by his hands. The pupils worked just fine, his breath didn’t smell of alcohol, at least not too bad. Kyungsoo did a quick check on his arms, there’s no rash of marks of needles.

 

Donghae is asking this sober.

 

“Not until I know why Donghae.”

 

Donghae huffed, his eyes cast down, until finally there’s a more honest reflection in those eyes “Help me Kyungsoo, help me one last time, my mind is too loud.” Donghae’s face growing even closer, smirking amusedly at the older man.

 

Kyungsoo has conflicted feelings, he knew Donghae since the bombmaker was still 10 years old. Donghae used to cling to him, growing even more attached until Kyungsoo push him away. He’s definitely one of those handful underlings, always going off the trail from the plan, destructive to him and others.

 

There’s no denying that he does have insane traits. Julien used to be ‘really close’ to him, and so is a few members in the group, but never with Kyungsoo no matter how much Donghae was throwing himself on him, Kyungsoo never let him. Donghae had issues, and it seems like he still has and it’s not getting better. Kyungsoo can’t say he’s completely devoid of any care towards his ex-underling, but Donghae is right. A deal is a deal.

 

He pulled out his knife and plant it on Donghae’s chest. He saw the handsome younger male smiled in thrill as his blade sunk into his flesh. Donghae put his arms around the slightly shorter man, pressing the knife even deeper.

 

Donghae’s eyes slowly drained of life as he clung to Kyungsoo’s drenched shirt of his own blood. Slowly bleeding down, Donghae fell and Kyungsoo caught him before he landed, putting him on the floor slowly. Those eyes are dead now, but the smile is still there on his face.

 

Kyungsoo can’t understand him at all, yet Donghae was not important enough for Kyungsoo to be bothered to question it further.

 

 

+++++

 

 

“Sir… this is too much…” The man at the other line groaned. Kyungsoo feeling pissed about Julien’s choice, but at least now he’s in.

 

“Stop complaining Suho, tell me about the body.”

 

“Um… she died of poison. There’s no sign she was kidnapped or forced, the girl is already dead when the scars were done, and uh… it seems like there’s lube residue on her g-genitalia, but there’s no semen to identify who she had intercourse with.”

 

Probably Sehun. The scars were done after she died, so she was not tortured, nor forced or held captive either. Meaning that she trusted this man and was killed when she was off-guard and poisoned. Could it be the same masked man? And why does the perpetrator Donghae told him would want anything with Natasha?

 

“Well done, send me your location, I’ll pick you up.” Then Kyungsoo hung up.

 

He drove his car to Julien’s spot next, picking him up to get the info he gathered, still in his blood-drenched shirt. It didn’t take long driving from Frankie’s spot to Julien’s. Now they’re both on the way to pick up Suho.

 

“Donghae’s dead?” Julien asked, and Kyungsoo nods.

 

They both have conflicted feelings for Frankie, or his real name when he’s still in the group, Donghae. He was one of the orphans that Julien and Kyungsoo mentored. They let him go to be an independent bomb maker in a condition that he will never go against The Choi Group. The man was smart but weak and unpredictably destructive, so The Choi Group let him go.

 

The same case with Kim Minseok, now goes by Xiumin, is Kyungsoo’s go-to informant and was one of his friends is training back then. Xiumin is not independent, but not exactly apart from the group. Xiumin thought it’ll expand the ground to detach himself from the group, and he needs to always do The Choi Group favors in return.

 

“The police didn’t investigate this case at all.” Julien started again.

 

They both know what that means. The perpetrator is covering their tracks, paid their way to shut up the police.

 

“But I did find the Botanical Museum’s security footage, it was the only file there.” Julien added.

 

“And why haven’t they destroyed this footage if they wanted to cover their tracks?”

 

“Maybe it’s meant to be hidden from nosy investigators, like us.”

 

None of them can answer that question, it only widens the possibility, making the target blur even more, the target as in the masked man. The bad news didn’t stop for Julien, Kyungsoo still hasn’t said his part of the info. Knowing his friend, Julien could’ve put a hole in the window if he knew this.

 

“Julien, Donghae have intel about who’s been paying our mystery ski-masked man.” Kyungsoo holds out his chip to his friend.

 

“I’m not going to like it, aren’t I?” Julien sighed defeatedly.

 

“Try not to destroy anything.”

 

 

+++++


	5. CH. 5 Family

 

 

There’s a sound of soft snips in that warm toned afternoon. The hue of the sky is orange, and the woods silently whispers as the wind gently blows the leaves and branches. Until Kyungsoo finally enters the greenhouse, the wind didn’t touch this place that harshly, and the snips sounds louder.

 

In the old metal garden table and chair, Sehun has one of his potted flowers in front of him, now cutting all the dried leave away. There are others potted plants at his feet too, seems beautiful and pristine already.

 

Sehun heard steps growing near, then Kyungsoo appeared behind the plant, suited up in a different color than his usual all black. Maybe it’s to make the party attendee feel less intimidated by him. Kyungsoo in all black means Kyungsoo at work, meaning someone is about to die. Wouldn’t want The Choi Group’s party attendee to feel threatened now, would we?

 

Sehun already knows why his brother is here, the party is starting in a few hours, and Sehun is still here, in his dirty gardening outfit, that just consist of used combat pants, old t-shirt, and a pair of old gardening gloves.

 

Kyungsoo sat across the table, seeing the weird plant were attached with a few other different stems by ropes.

 

“What’s that?” The older asked.

 

“It’s my experiment, for an assignment.”

 

Kyungsoo nods, and they just continue to sit in silence as Sehun concentrated in reattaching some of the stems and taking notes of the growth of his plant.

 

He remembered it like it was yesterday, less than ten years ago, Sehun was crying here after his mother died. He was so small back then, now he’s grown tall, strong, and very effective whenever he assisted his father and Kyungsoo. He attends meetings and pitched in good ideas in dealing with errors. Sehun fits into the group just perfect. The Choi’s men also held respect for him.

 

Sehun might not be as stealthy as Kyungsoo, but he was stronger in using brute force. He’s already way taller than his 10 years older big brother. A few leaders have recognized Sehun as the next heir. Kyungsoo began to see his little brother has grown to fill in what he’s made for, the heir, and Kyungsoo felt so proud of him.

 

What’s left now is to wait until the time is right for Sehun to take over, and Kyungsoo’s job will be done.

 

“You’re coming to the party,” Kyungsoo informed, not asking, since Sehun’s presence in this party is a must.

 

“I know.” Sehun scribbled a few more notes, and he finally sighed and laid back to the rickety chair.

 

“Good, you need to introduce yourself to the next democratic politician, he’s going to endorse our—”

 

“I wonder sometimes Kyungsoo…” Sehun interrupted, as his eyes lazily cast down on his experiment, and then on Kyungsoo’s round emotionless eyes.

 

“Why me? Dad seems to be really proud of you, why no one has ever mentioned you to be the heir? Compared to you, I…”

 

“Where is this coming from?”

 

Kyungsoo cuts him, sounding annoyed at Sehun’s sudden uncertainty. Sehun used to be eager to be the leader, now why does the spirit seem to fade? If it’s because of that Natasha girl again, he swears he’ll have a word with her…

 

“Just tell me the truth Kyungsoo,” a look in Sehun’s eyes and Kyungsoo knew what he meant, now feeling surprised when Sehun only just now catches on.

 

“You didn’t know?”

 

“I knew for a while now, but I want to hear it from you.”

 

Kyungsoo sighed defeatedly. It’s not that Kyungsoo is ashamed of his past, and he’s not afraid to tell Sehun, not anymore.

 

“They’re right, and it’s an open secret, that I’m a son from Lady Seungok’s previous marriage, meaning that I’m not Boss Minsik’s son, we have no blood relation at all.”

 

“And I’m the true first son.”

 

Kyungsoo opened his arms, having nothing else to add, it must be pretty clear to Sehun now why everyone expects him to be the Boss no matter how skillful Kyungsoo is. Sehun has something that Kyungsoo could never have, and that is the blood of Boss Minsik running in his bloodstream.

 

“Why did you never tell me?”

 

“Never thought it was necessary.”

 

“It’s not about necessary or not, you’re keeping secrets from me.”

 

“I know, I’m sorry.” It was the first time Sehun ever hear him apologize. Not because Kyungsoo was someone cocky, but the man almost never makes mistakes and done nothing that requires him to apologize.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Sehun asked again.

 

“Just never occurred to me, and back then, I was afraid my cute little brother won’t listen to me anymore,” Kyungsoo has a playful smirk on his face, remembering their childhood times.

 

Kyungsoo can’t believe how many years have passed since Sehun was born, he was so little then, so fragile. Now, look at him, strong, smart, merciless, and tactful in the field. Kyungsoo never really imagined how Sehun will turn out to be, but right now, he’s just glad Sehun grew up to be able to protect himself and others.

 

“Oh c’mon, things like blood relation doesn’t matter.” Sehun’s groan broke Kyungsoo’s train of thoughts.

 

The two meet eyes, and Sehun’s giving his brother a piercing glare. A cute face that’s grown sharp and eyes built to always seems to glare at everyone and looked intimidating, just like his father’s.

 

Sehun snickered, punching Kyungsoo by the shoulder, but got caught before the punch could connect. Sehun pulled the hand grabbing him and headbutted Kyungsoo quickly and successfully. Kyungsoo didn’t flinch, taking the headbutt and letting out a small “Ow.”

 

“That’s to knock some sense into ya, blood relation doesn’t have anything to do with family, you deserve to be the heir as much as I am…”

 

Kyungsoo just nod along, didn’t really take Sehun’s words to heart, there is just no way he would be the heir. Sehun right now is already stronger that Kyungsoo, he also knows everything he needs to know. All that’s left is to grow together from here on out.

 

“You know I love you a lot, right?” Sehun rubbed his pained forehead, his eyes fondly looked over Kyungsoo.

 

Kyungsoo however, didn’t feel the pain that much, but definitely stunned. He always knows that no matter what, Sehun would be his little brother, but to hear those words straight from his mouth is another different feeling. All he did was his obligation, but to be loved, is a weird feeling.

 

“You raised me, more than dad ever did, you’re my family… for me, you'll always be my big brother,” Sehun stated again, his eyes now fonder as he stared at the speechless Kyungsoo.

 

Sehun’s sincere eyes not looking away from Kyungsoo’s, making the older male flabbergasted in his seat. Again, even now Sehun has grown with tougher skin and mature, at the age of 20, Sehun is still being sweet like a child.

 

To be included as a family, to be loved by the one he has raised, Kyungsoo felt something blooming his chest. His heart is warm and filled to the brim.

 

Maybe it’s happiness, maybe it’s guilt.

 

“And you are as good as my little brother,” Kyungsoo replied, making his younger sibling smiled in satisfaction.

 

 

+++++++

 

 

“You’re frowning.” Kyungsoo mercilessly pointed, making his mother’s frown even deeper.

 

“Of course I’m frowning, Minsik is being such a stone head yet again.”

 

That, Kyungsoo already know, but the same stone head has lead this powerful group to success with loyalty going strong like family. At least, until now, with someone in the group that seems to have it against the main family. Even attacking Sehun’s girlfriend that has nothing with the gang, means that the motive is personal.

 

“How’s the investigation?” His mother asked, laying her back on the sofa of the bedroom, where Minsik is resting on the bed right now, the tubes haven’t left his body yet.

 

The accident is giving a lot of impact on him, and his old age didn’t help with the healing process either. Kyungsoo began to worry.

 

“We found out the one that did the dirty work, it was one of our men.”

 

Seungok looked annoyed, huffing her chest out.

 

“I never take you for someone that would look that upset,” Kyungsoo casually stated.

 

“Of course I’m upset! You’re doing all the work and Sehun is kidnapped, I thought you said he could protect himself! He’s being useless.”

 

Kyungsoo couldn’t say anything to that. He wanted to take a consideration that Sehun might be weak due to shock from Natasha’s death. Then again, should Sehun become that weak? That’s not how he was thought. He promised to protect Natasha, he has all the strength for that, but he failed anyway.

 

“It’s my job mother, of course I’m doing all of this, why are you being like this lately?” Kyungsoo questioned, and his mother’s face fell into a sad frown, clicking her tongue.

 

“I’m worried. Minsik, Sehun, even his girlfriend, I’m perfectly safe here, and you’re out there, it could be you next.”

 

Sometimes Kyungsoo forgets that his mother is still… well… his mother, no matter how strict and objective she is towards everything. It’s not like she’s safe too, did she forget about the inside man? But Kyungsoo didn’t want to rob her feeling of safety.

 

Kyungsoo glance towards Minsik, it seems that he won’t wake up for long, he needed to rest. Minsik maybe the Boss of this group, a man that Kyungsoo can always depend on making the right decisions, but Minsik right now is not in his prime condition to deal with this. His boss is human after all.

 

Guess it all depends on Kyungsoo now.

 

 

++++++++++++++

 

 

Kyungsoo entered the driver seat of the SUV car, Kyungsoo with his brand new and clean all black suit. Julien is waiting in there, now in an orange suit with deep blue Hawaiian print satin shirt inside, with gold chains peeking from the opened-up buttons, complementing his tan chest.

 

“I have to remind you again Julien, don’t take your eyes away off her.”

 

“Yeah yeah, I’ll watch Seungok.”

 

There’s tension between them, and their silence is adding in weight to the air. The question of a doubt was in the tip of Julien's tongue, and he’s not the type of person to hold back what’s on his mind.

 

“What if you didn’t find him?” Julien broke the silence after a while.

 

Kyungsoo didn’t say anything. He closed his eyes, taking in a deep long breath before blowing it all on the ground. His hands clenched on the steering wheel till his knuckles paled. He looked out of the window, staring at the private house in the middle of the forest, secluded from the other mansion in the area. The place where Kyungsoo grows up and raised Sehun under his care. Though he’s away a lot, this is his home, home to Sehun as well.

 

That garden underneath that busted-up greenhouse peeking on the side of this house, has long dead and barren, Sehun has neglected them all to die.

 

“I’ll bring him back, all of him, this is what I’m made to do, what we are made to do.”

 

Julien sighed, pissed, but agree with his small friend. The glare in Kyungsoo eyes was something that Julien couldn’t understand the meaning of, all Julien can do is trust him. The tall man gives Kyungsoo one last squeeze on the shoulder before dropping off the car.

 

 

As soon as the door slammed shut, Kyungsoo drove away, before it’s too late.

 

 

 

++++++

 

 


	6. CH. 6 Betrayal

 

 

“I don’t want to take your place, and my decision is absolute.”

 

And Kyungsoo went in just in time. It was one of the occasions where Kyungsoo came before knocking, knowing from his secretary that Minsik called him to his office, and Kyungsoo went in right away. He didn’t even know Sehun is in the building, the younger never informed him. He usually always did.

 

The heavy tension hanged in the air, suffocating the youngest in the room. Sehun however, never wavered in his decision, though the one he wanted to hear this last is here right now.

 

“I’m moving, I have another job waiting for me,” Sehun’s voice firm with matching eyes to boot.

 

“You’re going to work alongside me after you finished that damn University and that’s final Sehun!” Minsik raised his voice, veins popping on the whites of his eyes. Minsik is always composed, but this time his anger can’t be held anymore.

 

How can he? When his one and only fruit of his love with his beloved wife is betraying him. Sehun didn’t care, he turned around to walk away, even though Minsik have been screaming behind him. He passed Kyungsoo, not looking into his eyes and walked down the corridor.

 

He looked at his Boss, looking pathetic as he can’t do anything but yell at his son, hoping he would listen and comeback. He might not show it, but Boss really truly love his only son, the blood of his wife runs in his veins. Kyungsoo didn’t say anything at the whole scenario and finally decides to leave Minsik alone to find Sehun.

 

To his surprise, Sehun was not on his room as Kyungsoo thought. He assumed Sehun would pack, but his room is already empty. Kyungsoo thought Sehun must’ve left already. Yet he gave the garden one last look, just in case.

 

And there he is, like he was waiting for Kyungsoo.

 

They sat there in the rusted chairs, right next to each other.

 

“Why?” Kyungsoo started after a few seconds of silence, completely confused as his eyes searched for Sehun’s for explanations.

 

Sehun didn’t waver in his stone-cold expression, something he learned from Kyungsoo.

 

“It’s wrong,” Sehun deadpanned, squeezing a chuckle from his emotionless brother.

 

“How come you just thought of that after killing so many,” Kyungsoo sounds amused.

 

Sehun didn’t reply, and Kyungsoo didn’t know what else to ask him. Kyungsoo admits that screwed up. He went soft of Sehun, he was blinded by making him happy other than making him into what he’s supposed to be.

 

Kyungsoo’s mind traveled back to the things he did wrong, and Sehun noticed that, the stone face that crumbled down because of failure.

 

“Stop that Kyungsoo… you did nothing wrong.”

 

“I do, this is not what I’m pledged to do, your father trusted you to me,” Kyungsoo left a deep desperate sigh, rubbing his short-trimmed hair in frustration.

 

“It’s because of her isn’t it?” unlike the past, this time Sehun didn’t deny it.

 

“What are you trying to pull by doing this?” Kyungsoo hissed, “Boss is one of the most powerful men that could ever live, but your mother died anyway, how could you possibly protect that weak—”

 

“That’s enough, Kyungsoo.” Sehun punched the rackety desk between them, standing up in fury as he looked down to his brother.

 

Kyungsoo stood up to make their eyes as level as their height difference allowed.

 

“I trained you, I taught you everything I know, and you’re going to throw everything away? The fate of the group lays in your hand!” Kyungsoo raised his voice, another first experience for Sehun, he never seen him that thrown off by emotions.

 

Kyungsoo steps closer, pointing his finger on Sehun’s chest, “you are the next Boss. Your blood carries that responsibility, I demand the loyalty that was in that blood. The group is your family! Where is your loyalty to your family!”

 

Kyungsoo’s voice boomed in that silent night, stabbing right through Sehun’s chest, yet still, he didn’t say anything.

 

“I didn’t raise you like this, at least I’m not supposed to,” Kyungsoo cursed under his breath, for once he didn’t know what to do.

 

Is he angry at Sehun? Yes. Is he disappointed? No. How could he? Sehun grew up well, he grew up like a weapon, a mob leader, but inside everything he taught him, there is still Sehun’s heart that decides things his own way, how can Kyungsoo change that? He can’t. Maybe he could, but Kyungsoo had chosen not to, and how he wished he does if he knew things will turn out this way.

 

“I’m sorry, that I can’t be what you raise me to be, that I failed you.”

 

Kyungsoo felt his chest twitched at the word, wondering if Sehun really did fail him.

 

“I love her Kyungsoo… If I follow this path, her fate will be the same as my mom’s, I need to leave this world behind.”

 

Kyungsoo scoffed, his line is straight out of some cheesy drama. So he throws all his dedication away for some girl he met when he’s a child.

 

“All of this, for a girl, I can’t believe you’ve--.”

 

Sehun’s eyes glistened in water, yet he pressed it in, not letting it fall, which something Kyungsoo never would’ve expected of him. What is making Sehun back into a crybaby?

 

“I just wanted to protect the person I love, while I still have them,” Sehun tried to sound level, but Kyungsoo could detect shakiness even it’s only the slightest.

 

And everything clicks in Kyungsoo’s mind. He knows the feeling too well, but still, he didn’t think Sehun would go this far for someone outside the family. If he wanted to protect the one he loves, then wasn’t he supposed to stay with his family? Yes, Kyungsoo can protect himself, Boss is with his men and safe, and Natasha would wilt like it’s nothing if she came to the family.

 

Kyungsoo can’t argue about it anymore, as he saw how soft Sehun has grown even after being fed that force and knowledge, he can’t be a leader anyway, not when he has his heart soften like that.

 

Kyungsoo has failed, and it seems what Sehun have become can’t be undone.

 

“I’m sorry, I let you down, everyone, but this is my choice and-“

 

“I know Sehun, I made you into what you’re supposed to be, but I never told you what you have to choose. If this is what you choose, then I can’t do anything but respect your choice.”

 

Kyungsoo shrugged, as he sighed defeatedly, leaving Sehun stunned as the words touched his heart. Sehun can’t find the words to express his gratitude to the person that has raised him, that have been like a mother to him, the words are missing. So instead, he hugged him tight, and Kyungsoo hummed at the gesture and hug him back. Kyungsoo used to arch his back down to hug little Sehun, now he’s towering over him, and Kyungsoo was pulled up to his toes.

 

“Are you happy Sehun?”

 

Sehun nods at the crook of his brother’s neck, Kyungsoo sighed and patted his back. They parted, Sehun in the brink of tears, but came to halt when he saw his brother’s face turn serious and completely cold.

 

“You know what you are Sehun, this world doesn’t let you go. You are valuable to us, to your father that will do anything to get you, where do you think you get your stubbornness? And you’re an enemy to the people that could destroy everything you own.”

 

Sehun’s face unfazed, his brother’s threats are like breakfast, he knows his risks.

 

“With that, I ask you one more thing, is it worth all the shit that’s going to happen?” Kyungsoo continued.

 

Sehun’s eyes went cold, his palms balled into fists, “I wouldn’t know things that haven’t happen, all I can do now is do what I think is right.”

 

Kyungsoo’s eyes mellowed, sighing in defeat. Wondering who did he inherit his soft heart and strong head, probably a mismatched combination of Minsik’s head and Lady Jihyo’s heart. Sehun is indeed their son, no matter how much Kyungsoo tried to sculpt him, he wouldn’t be able to completely do. All he can do now is just wait for him to come back because Sehun _will_ comeback. Kyungsoo doesn’t know how, but one way or another, Sehun cannot run, he will not.

 

“Good luck Sehun.”

 

Sehun then leaves, waving goodbye to Kyungsoo, and a glimpse of the past flash through. To think, that he would leave with the first thing that he ever thought him. Waving him goodbye.

 

Kyungsoo went back to his Boss’s office, finding it in a mess with broken glass and scattered paper. Minsik is having a meltdown but Kyungsoo isn’t surprised, he had the same meltdown when Lady Jihyo died, the man has been bitter since the killer was never found till this day.

 

Kyungsoo was there and saw it all, the man he adored and idolized have gone from high and mighty, to low and powerless.

 

Yet his respect for the man never thinned, everyone has weaknesses, Minsik just happens to be… unlucky.

 

A vase zoomed into Kyungsoo’s face, and he dodged quickly, the vase landed at the wall behind him in pieces.

 

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE! I ASKED ONE THING OF YOU AND YOU CAN’T EVEN DO THAT.”

 

His Boss’s face is all red, eyes popping out of his skull as his voice roared. Veins popping on his neck and head, he’s out of control. Another furniture flies towards him, this time it was a lamp, an empty bottle of liquor, and Kyungsoo dodged everything.

 

“He’s my son, my only memorial of her, and you turned him away from me!”

 

Kyungsoo ran towards his Boss before he could grab another thing. His fingers pressed down the elder’s shoulder and head, adding pressure in a few points.

 

“Relax Boss.”

 

Minsik’s body froze, the tension left his body as he finally leaned himself on the wall. Kyungsoo helped him to sit on the sofa, his breathing coming back to normal, and so does his eyes that started to look weak.

 

It’s not a doubt that it’s Kyungsoo’s fault. He was blinded by doing what’s right for Sehun than doing what he’s supposed to. In this world, being ‘right’ has a very wide stretch, he shouldn’t have done what he did to Sehun, letting him stray like that. He failed, but what can he do to undo something that can’t be undone?

 

“Trust him onto me one last time Boss.” Kyungsoo requested, and Minsik looked up tiredly.

 

“Let me fulfill my pledge to you, you _will_ have a suitable heir.”

 

Minsik scowled, before straightening his head at the dedicated soldier in front of him.

 

“I’ll hold onto that.”

 

 

++++++

 

 

Sehun woke up in a strange room. He didn’t know how many days have passed since he woke up. It’s completely dark, there are no windows at all, and from the sounds, it seems like he’s tied to a wooden chair with metal chains, both his arms on his back and both of his feet are tied with duct tape.

 

Sehun has been struggling to find a way to break free, but he needs to play it safe, and it seems that he’s locked in. He couldn’t remember how he got kidnapped, and who kidnapped him, or where this is. All he knows is that he could feel he’s wearing one of his comfy outfit, short-sleeved t-shirt, and training pants.

 

The last memory he can recall was… maybe he passed out, he was depressed, maybe a little anemic too, his hand bled a lot, he did that to himself, he tried to find the reason… It was because of Natasha… because Natasha was… _Oh_.

 

_Oh God… Nat… I’m so sorry._

 

The tears have dried up days ago. ‘There is no use in crying anymore’, it was the same reason he came up with for him to stop grieving about his mother. One day he’ll grow strong and avenge her, was what he thought back then. He trained, he fought, he embraced who he is and who he ought to be, he embraced the world he was born in. Sehun was driven by anger, by his revenge and by fear of someone stronger that could threaten him. Be crueler, be smarter, be stronger, so no one can fuck with him.

 

Until he met Natasha, the hole in his heart was filled. He lived, and grow not to avenge, but to protect what he has now, feeling a little lighter and happier that way.

 

And now, that hole is gaping open again, wider than ever.

 

Anger, disappointment, self-blame, everything mixed up in Sehun’s mind. No matter what he did, this blood inside of him, the name he has, is a curse.

 

Someone kidnapped him, it must’ve been the same person that killed Natasha. If any door opened, Sehun won’t hesitate to kill the man in the most grotesque way possible. Sehun has planned things in his head, what’s left now, is getting ready for the perpetrator to come to show themselves. The plan could change based on the person, whether he’s kidnapped by a trained assassin or just a weak snobby rival that depends on their guards to protect them. Sehun must play this smart and careful.

 

Sehun is kept alive, there must be a reason for that, the kidnapper is not done with him, and they better believe that Sehun will NEVER be done with them.

 

Sehun heard the door unlock, and the room filled with a creaking sound as a door finally opens. Lights blared right in front of him, making it hard for Sehun to see the face of the person opening the door. The room closed again, without any sound of the door locked again, and they turned on the lamp. It was a spotlight yellow toned lamp that only lights a small circle around Sehun’s chair.

 

Sehun could make up the person in the darkness, but he couldn’t see the face. They dragged something towards his way, and a chair came into light, positioned to face Sehun.

 

Sehun looked up, expecting anyone anything, but when the face came to light, all the blood in his body drained as he recognizes the face.

 

 

He sat on the chair lazily with a stiff face.

 

 

Kyungsoo in all black stares at him with eyes as sharp as his knives.

 

 


	7. CH. 7 Plain Sight

**(tw : mention of self-harm)**

 

 

Kyungsoo went to Sehun’s apartment to check up on him. As soon as the bombing happen, He flew back from France. After making sure his Boss is in good hands, he rushed to Sehun.

 

Kyungsoo has been calling his phone, texted him, but Sehun never answered. It was very unusual of him, Kyungsoo has reminded him before that he has to prioritize his calls in case of emergency, but Sehun hasn’t answered in days.

 

Kyungsoo decided to use his spare key, not having Sehun’s shit.

 

He expected to catch him and his girlfriend doing their private things, but Kyungsoo didn’t care, he can deal with both. Kyungsoo was ready to find anything inside.

 

But he was wrong.

 

Right as he opened the door, his eyes completely frozen at the body laid on the floor, Sehun laid there completely still.

 

His arms have a few cuts sliced randomly, the blood dripping from the open wound is still fresh, creating a pool of blood to the carpet. His face is pale, his eye bags are black, streaks of dried tears coming from the sunken eyes, signs that he’s been crying.

 

Something must’ve happened, but Sehun is unconscious to give him any answers. Kyungsoo twitched at the scars on his arms, Sehun’s other hand is holding a bloody kitchen knife, means that he did this to himself.

 

Kyungsoo didn’t know what happened, but self-harm? Really? Kyungsoo didn’t build him to be this weak. He looked around, it seems that his girlfriend is not here, there is no other sound in the room. Maybe they break up or something, but is that even worth all those wounds?

 

Kyungsoo couldn’t care less. He never meant to take Sehun this way, but just in case, he pressed a chloroform-induced towel on his nose and mouth to make sure he’s out cold.

 

As Kyungsoo tried to tie him up, Sehun’s hand grabbed him, and Kyungsoo freeze immediately.

 

“Nat… Natasha… I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry Natasha.” Sehun mumbled, before plopping back completely limp.

 

_So, it WAS because of a breakup? Pathetic._

 

 

 

+++++++++++

 

 

Kyungsoo sat right across from the tied up Sehun, they haven’t said anything since the elder sits down. Sehun’s mind rotating through his memories, thinking of things he thought impossible, and all the other possibilities.

 

There is no way, he can’t be, no way, this must be a joke.

 

“Honestly Sehun, I thought you’ll be a little bit harder to kidnapped, I’m disappointed. After all the time I trained you.”

 

At that moment Sehun was forced to believe in what his mind has deducted. As those cold killing eyes of his finally meet Sehun’s, that he’s Kyungsoo’s target now. He felt his heart burns as fire started to ignite, betrayed by his own brother.

 

“What are you doing here?” Sehun growled.

 

Kyungsoo looked away and scoffed at his brother, helpless yet baring his fangs.

 

“I was supposed to kill you, but I’m just remembering old stuff,” Kyungsoo is wearing a smirk that doesn’t fit him, at least not as far as Sehun knew, he didn’t know who this person is… which one is the lie? This one, or the years before?

 

Sehun’s eyes widen, heart racing and his anger shot up again. It’s no denying it now, Kyungsoo is his death now, he’s next in line.

 

“In a way, I guess I’m saying goodbye,” Kyungsoo leaned closer, smiling as he looked down onto the pathetic tied up brother.

 

“Why?” Sehun groaned, “Why kill me now?”

 

 _Kill_ , to think that Sehun will probably die here, in the arms of the brother who raised him, someone he thought was family.

 

“Not my plans, it’s Seungok’s,” Kyungsoo shrugged.

 

 _That bitch!_ Sehun cursed inside his heart, of course, Kyungsoo is teaming up with his mother, he should’ve known. They’re an outsider from the group, Seungok only marries his dad for his power. To think that she was a good leader, he should’ve known something was up.

 

“I get to watch you grow up, to die, I guess it is for nothing… with Minsik now dying.”

 

Sehun felt his heart jumped, “Wait what? Dad is dying?”

 

Kyungsoo scoffed, looking down to the tied-up man, “you’re so engrossed with Natasha you didn’t know that someone bombed your father. I don’t know whether to laugh or… well I guess I’ll laugh.” He didn’t yet the cocky smile on his face was enough to make Sehun’s blood boils.

 

“Who did it?” the younger growled.

 

“I was about to show you, before I could destroy it along with you, mother likes symbolism and theatrics, he wants to burn the whole room, might as well destroy the evidence with you along,” Kyungsoo held up the folder he brought with him.

 

“I’ve been covering Seungok’s track, but I did nothing big, she’s skilled, using Donghae to make the bomb, making her men do her dirty work too. She eliminated both Lady Jihyo and Natasha almost perfectly, with her theatrics of course.”

 

Sehun felt his heart stops, it has been so long since he hears that name, the name of his mother, and to think it came out of her murderer.

 

“I need to kill a few informants, so the proof never surfaced, and did the same for your girlfriend, but yourself, is too easy, disappointing,” Kyungsoo throws the folder in the middle of the room as he huffed.

 

Sehun didn’t hear anything after he mentioned his girlfriend, the scattered pictures from the folder held a few familiar faces in a hidden perspective, but only one caught his attention. A body that hung in the middle of a dome, her light blond hair covering his face as a rope hangs tight on her neck and his name on her chest.

 

“You… did this?”

 

There’s no emotion in Sehun’s voice, completely void as his eyes stare down the pictures on his feet, hiding his face from Kyungsoo.

 

“Of course, I have to do half of my work, while Seungok is tending to Minsik, alone. A simple poison will get rid of him. And then _I_ can rule as Boss now that you’re technically dead.”

 

Sehun didn’t know which one to process first. His father is in danger, that his own family is the one that killed both his mom and Natasha and knowing all this time that Kyungsoo would’ve taken the place. None of this should’ve happened then! Sehun would gladly give the position. What is it with these games and complication over a dumb throne.

 

“You should’ve said so! I didn’t want to be boss in the first place! You could’ve been--”

 

“Ignorant stupid brat,” Kyungsoo growled low, lips twitching showing disgust that sent Sehun’s bones to chill.

 

“What made The Choi Group so powerful are the loyalty of their men, as long as there’re Minsik and his say that you’re the heir, they would never trust me no matter how much my contribution to the group is,” Kyungsoo steps closer, grabbing Sehun’s face with force, not letting go no matter how hard Sehun tried to shake Kyungsoo’s claws away.

 

“…If Minsik dies, then I take his position, at least _now_ I’m more suitable than you, you’re nothing but a broken weapon. As much as you were such a sweet little brother, my sweet little child, but you’re useless now. You have no value to me,” Kyungsoo threw his face away.

 

Despite his cold words, Kyungsoo’s voice is nothing but flat, no malice or anger, just flat out truth, which anger Sehun even more. Was that what Sehun life was to Kyungsoo? A babysitting game? All those smiles, those encouraging words, what was it for? Dedication to that heartless man?

 

“All of this for my old man, why would you let Seungok kill him?”

 

Kyungsoo shrugged, “Because he’s too now, is useless, crippled and useless.”

 

Sehun couldn’t believe it, but his anger took all the control of his logical thinking. Kyungsoo and Seungok killed his mother, and all the compassion Kyungsoo did when he console him is a lie, his adoration to his Boss were also shallow. Everything that seemed so dear to Kyungsoo felt like a lie, like we all fooled by his pretense.

 

“But why my mother? Why Natasha?’

 

“Seungok has authority issues, she never thought that Minsik would love you better than me, since she’s so confident I’ll be the one Minsik trusted more. If she knew it would turn out this way, she would’ve killed you before you could walk.”

 

Sehun gulped, disgusted by seeing his family’s real skin, knowing what’s really going on. He has lived under the same room with them, he trusted them. To think that malice has been hiding under his nose the whole time…

 

“And Natasha?” Sehun asked again, the smile Kyungsoo show at the mention of her name is cold and nonchalant.

 

“Bait, to drove you weak, and so that no one would look for you. Looks like I succeed too.”

 

Sehun felt the scars on his arms burns again. How could he be so foolish, so easy to toy around? How much has he let a simple girl did so much damage? Her life that filled the hole in his heart was nothing but a pawn in their scheme.

 

Kyungsoo… was the one that killed Natasha… his Natasha, Kyungsoo knew how much she meant to him and did that to her.

 

The image replayed in his mind. That morning where his sanity stops. In the middle of the beautiful garden, her neck was tied by the rope, so tight that blood oozing from her bluish neck. Eyes dead, as her body hangs in the air as her life stopped, time stopped. Her chest completely bare, and his name was carved in her chest.

 

Kyungsoo did that.

 

By the time where everything is too late, Sehun realized that his closest member of the family is actually what’s eliminating the rest of his family. He has nothing now, all because he’s off guard. He’s born in this world, he thought he can escape it and be safe, and Kyungsoo let him be so he can finish him quickly.

 

Everything was a plan, and Sehun went along like a stupid doll.

 

Never again.

 

Sehun stared down to the picture and closed his eyes, sobbing in defeat. Kyungsoo looked away, sighing in disappointment.

 

“Honestly, I thought I’ll get a good fight from you,” Kyungsoo knocked something from the wall, a loud thud landed then a smell of gasoline hits his nose like a strong jab.

 

Even though the gasoline that flooded his feet is enough to set him ablaze, Kyungsoo still took a gun from his suit, loading it and pull out the safety. Just to be safe huh?

 

“I’m disappointed Sehun.”

 

Just as he points the gun at Sehun, the chair was swung against his body, breaks to pieces in the process. Sehun was already free a long time ago. He twisted his wrist and fingers to slip out of the chains and ripped the duct tape from his feet. He kept the duct tape attached to his feet and his hand at the back so he looked like he’s still tied up. He needs to know the enemy first then just blunt attack when they came in.

 

Sehun has been right.

 

Kyungsoo’s gun was thrown across the room from the impact of Sehun’s thrown chair. Sehun runs over to the gun but held back by Kyungsoo who grabbed him by the shirt and throw a jab against his stomach.

 

Sehun coughed at the massive pressure, but manage to catch Kyungsoo’s next punch and headbutt him. His wrist is twisted, arms burning from the scars he made to himself, all he has is his legs. Kyungsoo grabbed something from inside his suit, Sehun’s eyes catch the glint of the metal, he knows that it was Kyungsoo’s favorite weapon.

 

The knife was thrown in Sehun’s direction, and he dodged right in time while charging the shorter man, and landed a roundhouse kick across Kyungsoo’s head, making the older man slammed against the floor.

 

Kyungsoo quickly did a turnaround, throwing another knife, but Sehun swiftly dodges while pushing himself across the room to the lying gun and points it as soon as he grabbed it. Safety off, fingers squeezing the trigger.

 

And the loud shot hangs in the air. The smell of gunpowder woke something within him, it was something he has not smell for a long time. The sensation of the leather in his hands, his fingers clutching tight the trigger, it felt like home, it felt like he found his old self.

 

Kyungsoo didn’t move, and Sehun didn’t tear his eyes away from the limp body leaking blood. The room was dark, Sehun couldn’t make up the look of his brother’s face, nor that he wanted to look. His mind couldn’t make up what just happen, to accept what he had done and to realize who he just killed.

 

Not until the crimson liquid touched his bare feet that he woke up from his daze. Maybe because it was sudden, or it was something overwhelming, mindlessly Sehun searched for more ammo in Kyungsoo’s suit, and takes a couple knives he can slip on the rubber band of his pants.

 

He eyed the folder again, soaked in gasoline and a little blood but still readable. Pictures upon pictures of Seungok, Minsik, himself, Natasha and his mother, and one lone chip inside a ziploc bag. Whoever the informant is, he did a good job of stalking his whole family, of course he is, Kyungsoo knows the best men in this world. It’s probably Xiumin, which will be next in his kill list after he’s done here.

 

There is no time to spare, his father is in danger from that snake of a woman. Rolled the folder to fit one his training pants pocket.

 

Sehun just hoped he’s not too late.

 

 


	8. CH.8 Confrontation

**rated m for blood and stabby stab stab**

 

 

As soon as he gets out from the room, Sehun knew that he’s by the docks, the place he locked in was an old empty office, near the waters and stacks of container hiding the place from the main roads. It’s still the Choi’s territory.

 

He did a quick scan on the peripheral, hiding between the containers while he counted the people guarding the area. The place wasn’t heavily guarded, approximately five guards, four roaming the container area, and one by the dock’s gate, all armed. Sehun recognize their faces, he was trained to do that, to know who’s really The Choi’s and who’s The Black Orchid men united because of Seungok’s marriage, and he still remembers.

 

Seems like the two groups never really bond, all these years his father was fooled. Both of them are just as foolish, they’re really father and son.

 

Sehun refused to be the same as his old man.

 

A man in suit approach, armed with an AR 15. Sehun tried to test his reaction. He showed himself before the armed man, could find him behind one of the containers.

 

“Help!” Sehun cried to the alarmed man.

 

Sehun couldn’t see the expression of his eyes because of the sunglasses, but the moment, he sees him, the gun was pointed at him.

 

“How did you get away?” The man yelled, and that’s Sehun’s cue… to start killing his enemy.

 

“Please help!” Sehun cried again as he stepped closer to the gun.

 

“You’re not supposed to be here!” the man warned, yet not dare to pull the trigger.

 

Sehun grabbed the gun by the barrel, shoving the muzzle away, before the gun finally fired, burning his hand in the process. Sehun pulled one of the knives and thrust it on the gun owner’s neck. In a second the body finally thuds on the floor with a pool of blood leaking from his neck.

 

“This is beta---I hear a gunshot, who’s it from? Over.” The static voice came from the man’s body.

 

Sehun carefully rolled the body and not step on the blood and took the walkie-talkie.

 

“Charlie clear, over.” The walkie-talkie voiced again. Beta, Charlie, Sehun conclude that they’re using ICAO phonetic alphabet, there’re five people here, so the owner of the radio is either Alfa, Delta, or Echo.

 

“Alfa clear, over.”

 

“Echo clear, over.”

 

Which left one last option, Sehun cleared his throat, he remembered how the man sounded like.

 

“Delta clear, over.”

 

The walkie-talkie is buzzing again, “Could it be from Kyungsoo? Did he kill the asset? Over.”

 

“That was not the plan, the buyers are coming tomorrow. Over.”

 

Buyers? So Sehun was supposed to be sold, how money hungry must Seungok be. Sehun dryly chuckles at the pathetic effort.

 

“This is Delta, I’m near the location, I’ll check, over.”

 

“Copy that.”

 

Sehun could feel himself smirk, like a thirst that has come back. Like practice hunting in the woods, like how he’s trained to be, to kill efficiently, stealthily.

 

He pressed his back against one of the containers, as soon as his target walk pass him, took the man by the neck and snapped his neck.

 

One.

 

Sehun was spotted, but his knife was faster, the metal sunk deep from the neck up to the man’s skull. The blood splatters this time, but he’s still mindful of the folder poking out of his pocket.

 

Two.

 

From the distance, only a few meters, his knife fly and landed right between the eye.

 

Three.

 

The last one, the one by the gate, have his back against him. Stupid amateur, Sehun snickered. The last man moved, indicating that he’s grabbing his walkie-talkie and called when Sehun is still far away from him.

 

“This is Echo, does anyone—”

 

The man turned around quickly when he hears his own voice from the walkie-talkie Sehun stole. Gun pointed at his face, but Sehun is just as quick at pointing his gun. Gunshots boomed, smoke oozing from both of their muzzles, yet only one that drops to the floor without breath. Sehun sighed, it was close, but he managed to graze his forehead.

 

Warms liquid drips down his face, hindering his vision as it dripped down to his left eye. Sehun felt up the scar, it wasn’t deep, he shouldn’t worry.

 

Now, he needs to deliver this evidence quickly to the headquarters.

 

“You’ve gone soft Sehun.” A voice shout from further away, Sehun turned around somehow not surprised to see who it came from.

 

Kyungsoo stood there like nothing happened, except for the bleeding scar on the side of his forehead, a deep cut that pours blood down half of his face and the smell of gasoline. The elder smiled, despite being shorter, able to look down on him like an insect.

 

This is the first time Sehun saw him like this, Kyungsoo acted like a god, as no one can kill him. For once he looked like he owned up to his title, death. Is this who he really is?

 

“Your days ends here Sehun, once it’s decided, I never let my target escape,” Kyungsoo took a knife from each of his ankles, smirking like he’s outsmarted Sehun.

 

“How about I carved ‘Natasha’ on your chest, to match, I’ll hang you at the same place too, aren’t I generous?” Kyungsoo sneer.

 

And that’s when Sehun felt all his nerves snapped. All the anger came back along with his memories, and the reason all of those memories are haunting him, one of that reason is now in front of him. All that hurt formed a voice in his head, _kill him_.

 

Sehun pointed his handgun at the charging male, his finger on the trigger was beaten by Kyungsoo’s knife. The gun flew back from Kyungsoo’s thrown knife, grazing a few of Sehun’s fingers.

 

 _Two can play that game_. Sehun smirked as he took a couple of knives he previously stole from Kyungsoo.

 

Sehun was the first one to strike, and Kyungsoo ducked easily due to his height and his knife thrusting fast to Sehun’s legs. The younger quickly stepped aside and the attack only manages to graze his thigh.

 

Kyungsoo didn’t stop, with eyes moving precisely. Without emotions, without hesitations, accuracy like a robot, and his body moved correctly to attack his target. Sehun’s movement was a bit rusty, he paused from fighting for a long time, resulting in him taking Kyungsoo’s heavy jabs on his face and abdomen.

 

Sehun tried to focus, attack, and keep Kyungsoo’s knife away. A cut on his biceps, then a few on his neck and chest, all from barely escaping Kyungsoo’s fatal blow. His brother’s intent is pure kill, giving his all to finish his job.

 

Sehun couldn’t imagine, that one day, ‘death’ will come for him, his brother that he thought he knew was more than that. It was all a lie after all. The man that held no emotions in his face as he deliberately tried to kill him, is the same one that raised him with love and respect.

 

Sehun’s freedom was a lie, his brother is a lie, his happiness was only a fabrication to Kyungsoo’s plan. Sehun’s life was a game, he trusted him all his life now look at what Kyungsoo has taken from him.

 

Loss, he had that feeling again. Sadness, when he realized his loved ones can never return. Anger, when he felt weak and helpless. It was all back then when his mother died… Now? He has all the power to finally have revenge, no longer weak and helpless.

 

Sehun couldn’t see a blind spot and it frustrates him. His moves become sloppy, and Kyungsoo saw that, there’s a look in those emotionless eyes, and Sehun couldn’t comprehend it.

 

Kyungsoo kicked Sehun’s knee when the younger was wide open, leaving a loud pop on his bones. The pain made Sehun fall, and Kyungsoo took the chance to attack from below. His knife rising up to meet Sehun’s face that falls straight to the sharp metal point.

 

Sehun can’t stop the gravity, his stance is weak, both his feet lose their ground because of the kick. Kyungsoo would succeed, like all the other victims, a knife planted between Sehun’s eyes, an immediate kill.

 

But Sehun is not a victim, never, he’s raised to fight.

 

Sehun caught the elder’s arms before the knife could reach his skin. Using his body weight, he pinned down the smaller man, without holding another second, Sehun planted his sharp steel right on the Kyungsoo’s chest.

 

Kyungsoo gasped, as the air knocked out of his lungs. It became harder to breathe as he coughed and gasps for air, but blood spurs out of his mouth instead. Kyungsoo’s eyes planted right onto Sehun’s, those eyes said nothing at all, and Sehun mirrored them as his body seems to freeze at the sight of the dying man under him.

 

The hand he held finally let go of his knife, the body under him jerked from the pain, or maybe for desperation to breath. Sehun couldn’t make up how he should feel when his brother is literally under him, dying.

 

Sehun didn’t want to see, he didn’t need to watch the life on Kyungsoo’s eyes slipped away. He has other things to do. He needs to save one last member of his family, his father, at least he’s real. Sehun searched Kyungsoo’s suit and took his phone.

 

For a moment he ponders, who can he call, who can he trust? None, none right now. He can’t let himself be spotted. He took off his bloody clothes and wear one of the guard’s less bloody suit.

 

Sehun walked away, not looking back, but he listens, Kyungsoo gasps of air finally stopped for good.

 

 

 

+++++

 

 

Sehun took a guess that his father might be back home and not in headquarters if he’s injured, and he guessed right. There are men swarming this place where it shouldn’t be this heavily guarded, means that his father must be in there.

 

Nobody say questionable things, the men in suit let him through and bow to him as Sehun passed. Blood dripping from the cut on his temple, but now he didn’t bother to wipe it off.

 

Sehun didn’t know where his father might be in this big manor, but knowing the stubbornness of his old man, probably in the office when he should’ve been in bed resting.

 

And he was right.

 

Sehun didn’t bother to knock, the three people inside turn their heads to him. Wide-eyed probably noticing the blood on half of his face. Minsik and Seungok are there, but the third person surprised him, Julien is there too.

 

“Where’s Kyungsoo?” Julien asked as soon as they meet eyes.

 

“Call your cleaning team to our docks in the eastern region, you’ll find him there.”

 

Julien’s eyes went wide, he didn’t want to believe what his mind has deducted from Sehun’s words. Julien had more things to say, but Sehun looks away and he replies with handing them the folder that smell of gasoline and stained with blood.

 

“What is this?” Minsik hissed at his son, eyes filled with anger as Sehun just disrespectfully throw things in front of him. Sehun didn’t faze away from the bone-chilling stare.

 

“Take a look for yourself.”

 

As soon as Minsik open it, Seungok meets the pictures inside, and her face fell into a twitching frown. Sehun noticed it, the snake has nowhere to go. His eyes were on the glass of water on Seungok’s hand, _a simple poison huh?_

 

“What’s that?” Sehun approached, and Seungok raised her eyebrow.

 

“It’s just water, for Minsik’s medicine.”

 

“Drink it,” Sehun commands, and Seungok’s frown deepened, insulted with Sehun’s tone with her.

 

“You think you can just march in and do whatever you please after you left and betray us! Have some respect to the group! How could you just--”

 

_“And what do I do with this envelop kinky young man?”_

 

The laptop played a recording, Julien noticed that it was Frankie’s voice, and Sehun was just as surprised as Seungok. Julien was behind the laptop.

 

_“It’s from a client, now I must go.” The voice sounded muffled and hurried._

 

_“Oh don’t be such a downer, you’re already dressed up for the party, why don’t you play with one of us… or all of us.”_

 

_“Hmmm, you’re really my type” “Look at his broad chest” “The things I can do with his hands—”_

 

_“Enough! I didn’t come for this. I suggest you read it immediately, my client’s request is urgent”_

 

Then there’s a sound of door closing. It was blurry and static but there is the sound of steps and the phone is calling another number.

 

_“I have delivered your message.”_

 

_“Very well, I expect you to be in headquarters in 10 minutes for your perfect alibi.”_

 

_“Yes, Lady Seungok”_

 

The name rang loud and clear. Making all the three male heads stare daggers at the frowning woman, not yet to retreat as she still stands with her chest puffed.

 

“Where did you get that?” her voice eerily level, for now.

 

“It was from a chip inside.” Julien deadpanned, making Seungok’s face even more furious, completely breaking her cold character. Even Minsik who was married to her for years looked surprised.

 

“I’m being set up, that voice is not mine. You couldn’t possibly trust such ambiguous proof!” Seungok’s voice is still, but the wrath in them is still al too noticeable.

 

“I’ve been married to you for 30 fucking years Seungok, I know what you sound like.” Minsik hissed.

 

“OH, don’t pretend to even know me a little bit, we are business partners and nothing more!”

 

“Just drink the water Seungok, I’ll admit that I’m wrong if you drink, shouldn’t be a problem right?” Sehun became impatient, pushing Seungok even further.

 

The woman kept her scowl and her hands trembled and keep it even further from her lips. Julien was the second impatient person in the room, stepped in and drink the water right after snatching the glass away. Sehun eyed him like he’s mental.

 

Julien made a face, sighing a loud ‘aaah’ after he swallowed all the water. Seconds passed, nothing happened, but Sehun and Seungok paled enough when they saw him.

 

“If you’re looking, for the poison, I already traded it with a fake one.” Julien takes out a small bag in his pocket, and inside, was a white powdery substance.

 

“H-How did you…”

 

“Never put your guard down lady, even when you’re flirting with me.” Julien winked at the Seungok’s paled frowning face, but then froze and turn around to his boss.

 

“Sorry Boss…” Julien said meekly, and Minsik didn’t flinch an expression, no one got time for Julien’s antics now.

 

Seungok has nothing to go now. For a smart woman she sure screws up big, now she can’t object anymore. The proof in on Minsik’s desk, her voice, her pictures, everything.

 

“Seungok, you have two choices, either give yourself up and let me sell you to one of our rings with a chance of survival, or I kill you right now.”

 

Minsik raised and stood, red in his face. His hand held a gun and point it at his wife. Seungok’s face was anything but fear, it was anger, her face flushed just as red as her husband’s, and eyes matching the wrath in her husband. Minsik’s fingers clutching the trigger tight, the bullet is fired but Seungok ducked right in time, swift her ways to her husband.

 

Her hand is not quick enough to take the gun away, but a punch on his wound would manage her to empty all the bullets and take one of her own gun, tucked in the band of her skirt.

 

She pointed her gun at Minsik’s which eyes were bloodshot and now wide open with rage. Then at Sehun which is unarmed, but Julien is behind him, already have his gun pointed at her. The door to the office opens, the men heard the gunshot and rushed to the office only to see the first lady having her gun at their boss. Almost in unison, the six men in suits have their gun also pointed at their mistress. Seungok is cornered, but her face tells otherwise.

 

“You think I’ll let you have the leisure of letting you have revenge Minsik? I’ll never forgive you for her, I’ll never forgive the day you broke your promise of making Kyungsoo as heir.”

 

She still has that smirk on her face, curving her dark plum lips. Sehun turned around, have his tired eyes upon his father that mirror the same tired expression. A broken promise, Sehun thought of his father a lot of nasty things, but this adds to the other.

 

“I curse you, Choi Minsik.”

 

With that sentence, her hands swiftly pointed the barrel under her jaw, and pull the trigger before any of the men in the room could move.

 

The shot rings in the air silencing the room, and the air felt heavy as the smell of gunpowder oozes from the barrel. Her head exploded to the walls behind her, as the rest of her body plopped to the floor.

 

 

 

+++

 

 

 

“Kyungsoo really have detailed information about this.” Despite the words, Julien’s voice didn’t sound impressed. To think that his best friend has other plans behind his back is not something amusing for Julien.

 

A few hours after the whole dramatic situation, they went over the evidence like nothing happened at all. Kyungsoo betrayed them and killed by Sehun, Seungok as a prideful self has put a bullet of her own inside her head, everything is happening so fast.

 

Despite the fresh memory, Sehun tried to make use of that and told the two man in front of him, everything Kyungsoo told him. Seungok’s plan, her involvement with Lady Jihyo’s death, her plan to poison Minsik, and the plan to make himself Boss after killing Sehun.

 

There are recordings of Seungok’s phone on the day of the murder of his mother. They mentioned that a boy was behind it, from the conversation it sounds like Seungok bought him at an auction, and set him free.

 

Sehun is clean from all the blood, he tried to channel his focus to the pictures and data and recordings in front of him, to distract Kyungsoo’s eyes that looked at him when he died. His hand sinking the blade into the chest that he hugged multiple times in the past.

 

“Sehun are you listening? What else did Kyungsoo tell you?” Julien snapped him out of his daze.

 

“He told me killing Natasha was also his doing.”

 

Julien’s eyebrows furrowed to the middle, thinking hard about the day of death and where Kyungsoo was at the time.

 

“No way, he’s with me all day in France, he only came back when Boss was bombed.”

 

“Then he must’ve hired men, maybe that masked man was under him too, he did say he’s working together with Seungok.”

 

“Hmm that’s weird.” Julien’s remark made the two Choi darted their sharp eyes at him.

 

“Kyungsoo told me he found a lead to a few locations owned by The Black Orchid, he’s the one who told me to stay with Seungok and keep a close eye on her. He thought Seungok will do something to Boss, to finish the job. I’ve heard that recording, I didn’t have a copy, but he played it after we got back from Frankie’s.”

 

“What about me? Then why am I not dead? Isn’t killing me her priority too?” Sehun added another argument.

 

“Probably couldn’t find you, since Kyungsoo held you captive, there’s a probability that Seungok didn’t know Kyungsoo was doing things against her.”

 

“Are you defending him?” Sehun spat, and Julien didn’t hide how much it frustrates him too.

 

“What’s the use of defending a dead man.”

 

The words ring violently inside Sehun’s head. His eyes canted down to his open hands. The scene echo in his vision, Kyungsoo’s face as he struggles to breathe, his hands holding the knife that ended his brother’s life.

 

“So, Kyungsoo lied to me?” Sehun whimpered.

 

No one said a thing, yet they didn’t seem to object, and Sehun, as much as he thought it was impossible, now try to reason, and the idea is getting into him.

 

“Why would he lie? Why would he take all the blame?”

 

Suddenly he felt all the blood drained from his body.

 

 

+++++++


	9. CH. 9 Unfolded

 

 

It was a cold rainy day, a little boy hides inside his house hugging his sibling tight from the cold. He heard stomps of men outside his quiet house, just hours before, this house was so loud, full of screaming, and crying, now everything is so silent. Yet the child couldn’t bear to step outside into the world, not alone.

 

The door opened, and despite the cloudy day outside, the light pierced through the dark room. His shaved head turned around to the front door, it’s been hours since he moves from his position, holding onto his little brother as they both sat in the middle of the hallway. Only after the light came back, he realized all the red all over his body.

 

An old man peeked through the door, tall and wears a friendly smile as those wrinkled eyes look down to meet his big wide eyes. The child didn’t know or bother what to do to this person. Is he a friend? And enemy like his father? So, he did nothing but clutch his little brother’s limp body tighter.

 

“What’s your name boy?” The old man softly called to him, eyes as warm as the fireplace. The boy flinches, when the old man put out his hand.

 

“Kyungsoo,” he piped, voice hoarse and eyes red with tear stains on his cheeks.

 

“Don’t be afraid Kyungsoo, I’m not going to hurt you, I’m Minsik, Choi Minsik.”

 

The old man still wears the same warm smile, “Can you tell me what happened here Kyungsoo?”

 

Minsik looked around the house, he stepped in and turn on the lights, but it didn’t work, the light bulb is broken. Though it’s dark, Minsik didn’t need extra light to see two dead bodies at the end of the hall, and another one in the kitchen with pieces of broken glass surrounding her. The body at the end of the hall has a gun on his hand, yet here this boy is, the only one alive.

 

“Dad… he’s gone a lot, and he came back, screaming at us, and he’s looking for something… He told us to leave, but mom said no. They were screaming, and I-I got scared, so I take Jongin with me to get out of the house, for safety.” Kyungsoo hugged the smaller body in his arms, tears prickling on his eyes.

 

“When I came downstairs, mom was already on the floor… and then dad got even angrier.”

 

 _“Where're the diamonds Kyungsoo… where is it!!???”_ The voice echoed at his little head, no matter how hard he pressed his ears, the voice still resonates.

 

“I took the gun from mom’s cabinet, and shoot dad, but he shoots too, and…” Kyungsoo looked down to his brother’s back, there’s a hole carved there, making his shirt is completely red.

 

“Everything all right here?” Someone else peeked inside the room, Kyungsoo looked at the figure behind Minsik’s broad body.

 

It was a woman, her voice is soft abut stoic, long hair falls down to a few inches below her chest. Lips as red as blood, and cute round shaped eyes but looked sharply at the little child. Her clothes hugged her figure tightly and her skirt slit up to all the way to her waist, showing a knife holder on her thigh. Kyungsoo eyes went wide at the sight of her, she looked like a video game character he played.

 

“We’re too late, Seungok.” The man said to the lady, and she clicks her tongue as he looked around.

 

“I see that, and what about him?” The lady’s attention directed to Kyungsoo now, the look of her face reminded him of his own mother.

 

“Kid, your dad hides something that belongs to us, tell us and we’ll spare your life.” The woman towered above him, Minsik was sighing and shaking his head, but Kyungsoo, felt like she was someone familiar, she looked just like his mother.

 

“I-I’ll tells you, but you have to do something for me!” Kyungsoo stood up, after lying Jongin on the floor.

 

Facing the tall woman eye to eye as she twitched, annoyed at the weak little boy that dares to talk that big, but at the same time, she was amused. Her red lips pulled upwards, smiling at the round-faced kid.

 

“What if I threatened to kill you if you don’t say anything? You thought you’re oh so powerful.”

 

Seungok has her long slender fingers clenching on Kyungsoo’s plump cheeks, hissing like a snake about to get their snack, but Kyungsoo didn’t seem to be afraid, which Seungok noticed.

 

“Go ahead then! Kill me! It’s not like I have anything else anyway! You’ll be doing me a favor and you’ll never get your diamonds back!” Kyungsoo yelled at her face.

 

Seungok’s lips twitched, to be yelled at by a weak pathetic orphaned child, but she has to admit, a child that’s not afraid of death, and a bargain too, Seungok likes this little kid. Minsik does too. The couple shared a look and it is decided, they’re taking Kyungsoo back to the group and mold him into their men.

 

“Fine then child, what is it that you want?” Minsik stepped in, mirroring Seungok’s amused smile.

 

“Found me a family that’s willing to adopt me.” Young 6-year-old Kyungsoo said that and made the both laughed.

 

“I like this one Minsik.” Seungok said to her husband.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Look at those eyes Minsik, the kid got balls, he didn’t piss his pants yet, I want him.”

 

Minsik shrugged, any child wouldn’t matter as long as they are trained. Kyungsoo couldn’t understand the conversation between the two and kept glancing back and forth at the grown-ups.

 

“What about my family? Would you like to be our son Kyungsoo?” Minsik kneeled in front of the shocked boy.

 

Kyungsoo didn’t give a second thought and nods right away. Minsik ran his fingers at the hairless boy, smirking contently.

 

“Good, now be a good son and show us where they hide our diamonds.”

 

His former mother was the one that hides it, she planned to sell it and ran out of the house, escaping the threat that is her husband’s life, a foolish man. Thinking he can just pickpocket out of his own Boss. His former mother didn’t know that Kyungsoo saw her hiding the suspicious pocket and put it under one of the tiles in the kitchen.

 

After getting what he needs, Kyungsoo was told to wait outside, as a few men clean his house, and takes big plastic bags out of there.

 

It was still raining, Seungok is standing outside with Kyungsoo as one of the men hold an umbrella for them. Kyungsoo looked at her again, observing his new mom, that looked more like a sister. He spotted the holster on her thigh, as see a metal glint in between the spaces.

 

“What’s that?” Kyungsoo poked at her thigh.

 

“A knife,” Seungok pulls the handle and turn the blade around her palm like a pro, Kyungsoo was amazed at Seungok’s trick.

 

“Woah! Teach me how to do that!”

 

Seungok, smirks, and bump the handle on top of his head, making his new son pouts.

 

“You’re going to learn more than this if you wanted to be our son.”

 

 

~~+++~~

 

 

“THAT BITCH!” The shrill cry echoed through the room, her bottles of perfume dropped to the floor, along with her abundance face products.

 

Kyungsoo was barely thirteen, but he always remembers the day his mother melts down in front of him. Minsik told them at the dining table that Sehun will be the heir. Lady Jihyo object to it, but his mother seemed calm, he would never have thought that this was what’s going on with her head.

 

“What’s the use of adopting this useless orphaned child… fuck, I invested so much in him…”

 

His mother was pacing back and forth, muttering under her breath, and Kyungsoo sits there by her bed, not knowing why she would take him here to see her meltdown.

 

“That manipulative bitch… taking my seat… shit… just because I can’t… I can’t… dammit, that stiff traditional OUTDATED man…” Seungok shot her eyes at Kyungsoo, filled with fire and anger, and he looked away.

 

Kyungsoo used to think that she was pretty, and she always acts so softly and pampers him with gifts. She would buy him anything he wanted, guns, knives, any weapons or toys, Kyungsoo can name it all, but now, she didn’t look like the mother he used to see.

 

“You are my son Kyungsoo, remember me, LOOK AT ME!” Seungok clawed Kyungsoo’s shoulder, her pretty red nails digging to the smaller figure.

 

Kyungsoo bites down the pain and tried to look calm, but the sight that stares back at him, those kind eyes now bloodshot from tears, her lipstick smeared, Kyungsoo didn’t want to admit it, he’s scared.

 

“Don’t listen to your dad okay? You will be the heir, don’t you want to become just like your dad? Hm?” Seungok grabbed Kyungsoo by the jaw, demanding an answer, and Kyungsoo quickly nods.

 

“Good, Sehun is not your responsibility okay? You just have to make yourself better.”

 

Again, Kyungsoo nods against his will, not understanding why his mother is so worked up.

 

 

+++++

 

 

 

It took a few years of him to mature and understand the meaning of her outburst that day. He began to watch his mother carefully and noticed the moment she ticks. He couldn’t believe it at first, she never loved Boss, but Kyungsoo picked up that she’s jealous. He realized when it was too late, it was never about her feeling betrayed by the second marriage, but it’s about power.

 

Kyungsoo went digging about his mother’s past. She was supposed to be the heir of her group, The Black Orchid group, but her father fell into debt, backstabbed by one of his underlings. The Black Orchid is broke, their connections turn their back on them, but they still have their men and their abundance stocks of weapons. Thus, why Seungok proposes to Minsik and conjoined their strength together, now that Kyungsoo sees it, it was a logical decision, and they benefited each other.

 

The reason why Kyungsoo was adopted, was because Seungok is sterile. By the way his mother acted so sweet with him, he thinks that she could influence him to do things under her command when Kyungsoo takes charge as Boss. Then, Lady Jihyo came along, she was loved by her husband and provide him a child with his blood, her plans were ruined.

 

Years of buttering up to his ‘mother’ and playing a good son that sided with her paid off eventually. Seungok was careful with Kyungsoo, knowing that he’s grown close with Sehun, but Seungok was never suspicious of his adoptive son, Kyungsoo tap her phone to always made sure of that.

 

Even after he knew, Kyungsoo can’t prevent Lady Jihyo’s death. He rushed back to the headquarters when the day of her funeral was notified to him. Seungok was accompanying Minsik that kneels beside Jihyo’s body, sobbing so uncharacteristically. Kyungsoo went closer to them, pressing his extracting device as close as his mother’s purse, through a wireless connection, the data inside her phone is in Kyungsoo’s.

 

One of the men already told him the details of Lady Jihyo’s death. The ammo on her back is 22LR, a very common ammo that could be shot by any pistol. Surveillance cameras didn’t pick up anyone suspicious around Lady Jihyo’s murder scene. Either the perpetrator is very skilled, or someone froze the cameras and escape. The possibilities are various, they could buy their way, they could have someone from the inside or EMP bomb, but the cameras aren’t broken, so it can’t be it.

 

That time Lady Jihyo was out to go to a salon, it wasn’t a routine for her. If the man stalked her for a few days, he wouldn’t know. Someone from the inside must’ve provided the information that Jihyo was at that salon that day. Lady Jihyo went out with a couple of guards too, but both of them were killed, by the bomb inside the car where they wait and Lady Jihyo was easily lured, there’s also no sign of being forced on her body.

 

She knew the consequences of marrying Minsik, she was told not to trust anyone, she must’ve known this man, trusted him too. Could it be one of The Choi’s men? It’s a bit too wide of a stretch to search.

 

Kyungsoo listened to the recording of the same date as Lady Jihyo’s death, there was no name said,

 

_“It’s done.”_

 

 _“Good, you can leave the premises,”_ she said ambiguously, to the unidentified male voice. Kyungsoo wouldn’t expect any less from her mother, she didn’t say any names.

 

This conversation could be anything, but the timing is eerily the same, and the context potentially could be connected.

 

 _“What about the kid?”_ kid? Did they tell a kid to kill her?

 

_“Let him go for now, but keep track of him.”_

 

_“For how long?”_

 

_“Until I find another use of him again.”_

 

Kyungsoo tried to find who this mysterious kid is, but nothing, he’s most likely to be an undocumented citizen. Seungok could’ve bought him from a human trafficking ring, or a street kid and paid them a lot of money. With her direction, anyone could be as stealthy.

 

The day came when Seungok finally makes use of the child, and he knew it from Frankie. Seungok knew that Donghae was a lunatic that got kicked out of the group because of his destructive behavior and recklessness, one thing she didn’t know is that he was let go because of his own personal request and he’s loyal to Kyungsoo. When Frankie got the job, he contacted Kyungsoo right away.

 

Frankie only told him the target, Boss Minsik, and Kyungsoo made a request to make it looked like a faulty bomb. Frankie agreed, of course with a price, that he never wanted to tell unless Kyungsoo came to meet him himself. If only Kyungsoo knew the reason that Frankie just wanted to be killed, he wouldn’t have come, but then it does pay off. Frankie gives him couple more important intel, it was the second time he heard the man in a ski mask beside from Baekhyun.

 

_“1.73 cm tall, bright blue contact lens.”_

 

Frankie whispered to Kyungsoo that day, while his hands slipped a small USB onto Kyungsoo’s hand. Inside the USB was the recording of the masked man with Seungok, which Kyungsoo already owned too from tapping his mother’s phone.

 

It’s absolute that Seungok is behind this, after playing the recording in the car, Julien knew that too. Though they still didn’t know who’s her messenger, the man in a black ski mask. Kyungsoo told Julien that she might up to something, so Julien stayed back and make sure Minsik and Seungok never left alone.

 

After trusting them with Julien, Kyungsoo has his own plan to execute.

 

The mystery as in why Natasha was killed or who did it was never solved, nor that Kyungsoo cared. If anything, the death of that vermin only helps. Kyungsoo can take credit for her murder.

 

Kyungsoo has his hand on the knob, behind this door, Sehun is tied up, and safe. He didn’t know what plans Seungok had for Sehun, she could’ve killed him the day Natasha was killed, Kyungsoo would like to think that he got there on time. That he outruns his mother in this chase.

 

Sehun is safe, and now, what’s left is to fulfill his purpose.

 

_“Trust him onto me one last time Boss.”_

 

_“Let me fulfill my pledge to you, you WILL have a suitable heir.”_

 

_“I’ll bring him back, all of him, this is what I’m made to do, what we are made to do.”_

 

Kyungsoo never hoped to make this out alive, but then again, his life was never completely his, he owed his life to Boss Minsik. If Kyungsoo came out of here dead, that means he succeed.

 

There’s a smile appeared in his stoic face, but it disappeared almost instantly the moment he turns the knob and entered the room.

 

Time to execute his final plan, his last push for Sehun.

 

 

++++++

 

 

The greenhouse has gone barren. The colorful flowers in nothing but dried brown twigs, not even weed survived. Sehun promised that he would always take care of his mother’s legacy. Back then, he was too prideful to come back, he promised to leave this world entirely, that includes shunning his father. He forgot that a piece of his mother was left here.

 

This greenhouse crosses his mind from time to time, but Sehun brushed them off. Sehun had so many memories of this place, seeing this garden used to make him happy. Now, it’s just sad.

 

Sehun didn’t know what to feel after yesterday’s information about Kyungsoo’s past. He couldn’t believe that his family never told him about Kyungsoo, and he had to dig it out from his father about how they found Kyungsoo. Their reason was the same too, it was not a necessary thing to bring up again, yet Sehun still feels betrayed. How would he lead when there were so many secrets being kept from him? Do they really expect him to feel nothing at all after all that?

 

But, what difference does it make? Though it doesn’t change his perspective of his brother, it doesn’t matter anymore.

 

His eyes closed peacefully, hands on top of each other on his chest. He laid there in his all-black suit, surrounded by red roses filling all the possible gaps. His face completely pale, the cut on his head in already neatly stitched. The mourning period is held privately, the flowers were from Minsik and Julien, only the three of them are mourning him. It’s held privately to prevent any commotion. The men only knew that Kyungsoo betrayed the group, but only the three of them knew the truth.

 

To avoid being spotted, they keep Kyungsoo’s coffin at the greenhouse to let the three of them mourn, told all men to not guard the private house. It’s been a while since Sehun wore a suit, it felt restraining. His father is already there, sitting on the rusted metal chair.

 

Sehun joined him, and sit right across from him, their eyes didn’t meet each other, they can’t, nor do they want to. They looked at Kyungsoo’s dead body, can’t believe that he’ll be there so soon. After telling Kyungsoo’s true past, Sehun was livid at his father, adding another fuel to his anger and confusion. Now, Sehun just felt hollow.

 

“I was here when mother died,” Sehun blurted out, “when you cried at her body, I was here, crying too, and Kyungsoo consoles me, it’s out of character but he pats me in the back, tell me it’s going to be okay and all that jazz.”

 

Minsik didn’t seem to be interested, because Sehun never meant to make his father amused by it. He never really cared about that stuff, just as Kyungsoo did, he’s more alike to Minsik than Sehun himself.

 

“I never doubted that he’s my brother, why can’t you see him as a son?”

 

With that remark, Minsik hisses his breath in, closing his eyes as he sighed and tried to calm himself.

 

“Because he’s not, he’s a loyal soldier, never once did he call me dad. Since the very beginning, I’m always his Boss.” Minsik’s voice grumbles weak.

 

“He did this for you… sacrificing himself to what? Fulfilling your stupid promise that you make him do when you’re acting like a lunatic—”

 

“Don’t you dare use that tone with me boy,” Minsik growled, his bloodshot eyes teared away from Kyungsoo’s body and to Sehun’s unbothered eyes.

 

“He is a soldier, I gave him the luxury of living with me as a family, and he has done his job well, at least I’m proud of him for that.”

 

Sehun narrowed his eyes, lips twitching in disgust at his father, that dismiss the look. Minsik has people look at him that way for years, but they always meet their ends in his hand at the end. Now his son sees him the same, one day too, Sehun will be just like him, just like how it supposed to be.

 

“All of this… for me? This is useless.”

 

“You are my son.”

 

“He could’ve been a better leader.”

 

Minsik exploded, his hands hitting the table hard as they baled into fists on top of the rustic surface.

 

“Don’t you dare say that again, you are my son, you are the next Boss. Your blood carries that responsibility, I demand the loyalty that was in that blood!”

 

His old age made him breathe violently, gasping air with face as red as blood, eyes popping out of his skull as he looks in disbelieve at his son.

 

“Funny, Kyungsoo said the same thing to me.” Sehun scoffed.

 

He remembers Kyungsoo’s words like it was yesterday, he still can’t believe his body is in front of him, never to speak again. All of Kyungsoo is what his father planted on him, makes sense that they’re spouting the same words. To think that his brother was killed by his hand, for such a stupid reason.

 

“If loyalty is the only thing that counts, then Kyungsoo is a better son than I am.”

 

Minsik couldn’t say anything, yet the words don’t seem to get through his thick skull, and Sehun is pissed at that stubborn wrinkly face.

 

“I don’t get it, your fixation towards me.” Sehun spat.

 

“You’re her son. You would never understand what a parent felt, not until you have your own.”

 

Minsik replied in a soft tone, eyes darted on the ground, seeing something far in front of him, they’re hollow. With that sentence, Sehun finally has the pieces together, all of this was not for him, after all those years, he still can’t let her go.

 

Sehun can’t feel any sympathy for him, “mom’s dead, I don’t care if you see her in me, I’m not her. Your selfish wish has cost us Kyungsoo.”

 

“What did you feel when Natasha was killed? Hm?” Minsik’s voice is as cold as ice, not affecting Sehun that’s now burning with anger.

 

“I’ll tell you, _father_ , it’s nothing compared to killing my own brother, who raised me more than my own parents because he’s a stupid loyal dog to a Selfish Man!” Sehun’s vice raised louder, throwing the chair he sat away in anger.

 

“Yes, blame me, blame me for everything, that’s all you can do!” Minsik barks back, slamming his hand on the desk. His eyes mirroring the fury inside Sehun’s, “Yes, I told Kyungsoo to bring you back to me, and no I never see him as my son but dammit he has all my respect as a friend. I never told him to sacrifice himself.” Minsik hisses, running his fingers through his graying hair before continuing.

 

“You’ll never understand, what she is to me, I would give anything to have her back. Knowing if I caged her would make her suffer, I let her go, but look at the price I pay. All I have left of her… are you…”

 

Minsik couldn’t say anything again, Sehun couldn’t stand to be in his sight, sitting there and looked calm like nothing is wrong, so he turned away.

 

“So, what now? You’re still stubborn? You wouldn’t want to take over again? Because I assure you, I will drag you back here,” Minsik growled just as Sehun stepped out of the door,

 

Sehun felt blood drained out of his tightly clenched fists. He always dismissed his father, doing whatever he loves. Now, there’s nothing, Sehun has no one else but this world his father dragged him in. He wondered why his mother could love such a headstrong selfish man. Maybe the years without her changed him, and now Sehun has to deal with the broken man.

 

Sehun thought he could be living another life, a life where his mother used to have before she foolishly falls in love with this man. Sehun used to have his mother, when she left, flowers and humility, was the only memory that stayed with him, and his father took that part of him away.

 

“Kyungsoo died for me to be the Boss, then I’ll be.”

 

“Not yet, you still have a lot of learning to do, you’ve gone soft, you’ll take Kyungsoo’s place from now on.”

 

_Taking Kyungsoo’s place huh?_

 

“Whatever you say Boss.”

 

 

 

++++++++++++++


	10. CH.10 Pawn

 

 

He was 13 and nameless, hands and feet tied as his body was dumped on stage, the light above him was the only bright light he has seen for days. There’s a lot of people watching him, some wear masks, some don’t. Confused, the boy struggles to free himself.

 

“Item 68 starting from five thousand dollars!” The man beside him yelled.

 

Then one by one the masked people on the seats raises their numbered boards. Their hands going up one after another and the money goes up even more until there are no more hands in the air.

 

“SOLD! To number 6!”

 

After that, the clueless child was dragged back into the container, along with other children with similar age as him, where they have stayed for days. Crowded and hot, a small bucket in the corner acts as a toilet for the several kids packed there. Food and water were thrown at them like farm feed, and the air felt so humid it’s hard to breathe, some of the children had fainted because of it, some didn’t wake up again. The child thought he’s back to this hell, though the stage was scary, he didn’t want to come back to this.

 

He crouched with his knee tucked into his chest. How long was he kidnapped? How long has he been on the road? Passed from people to people, to one factory to another, whipped to work till his hands bleed. The last thing he remembered was packing white powders into packets, and then people with guns kill another people with guns. The next thing he knows he’s already here, days, weeks maybe, and it felt a lot worse here than before.

 

He didn’t remember much about his past, but he did remember praying. For once in the boy’s life, he prayed that he’ll be anywhere but here, because anything is better than this, and his prayer was finally answered.

 

A man took him out of the container, to a fancy long car he sees on the streets, _a limo?_

 

He sat between two men in suits and twice his size, the car was cold and clean, it’s the nicest place the child has ever been in. There’s a woman sitting right across him, she’s wearing a black veil as her legs were crossed and hand folded on her lap.

 

“What’s your name boy?” The woman asked with a kind voice, and the boy shook his head.

 

“I-I don’t remember Ma’am.”

 

“Suho.”

 

The boy only looked in confusion, wondering if she was calling someone in the car, but no one responded.

 

“That will be your name from now on,” the woman continued, the boy, or as he should call himself Suho from now on, can’t do anything but to accept.

 

The car started to hum softly, before finally moving.

 

“Where are you taking me? A-are you going to kill me?”

 

“I could do worse things to you boy, but no, I won’t,” the woman’s voice sounded amused.

 

The helpless child felt his skin crawled, and eyes burning from the tears threatening to spill.

 

“Please don’t hurt me…” the boy started to cry, sobbing loudly and the woman groaned by the sound.

 

“Enough, if you want to be free then you have to repay me the same amount of money I paid for you.”

 

“H-How? I don’t h-have money…”

 

“There are multiple ways to pay, if you do this, consider half of your debt paid.”

 

 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

 

“Get away from him!”

 

“And what are you going to do miss? You want to have some fun with me instead of this—”

 

Gunshots fired, but the bullets only leaving a graze on the cheek at the sleazy guy that was about to attack her. The man quickly turns around and run.

 

“Crazy bitch!” he cursed as he disappeared deeper in the alleyway.

 

She huffed as she tucked her gun in, he approached the boy that curled up on the grimy asphalt. His body is all black and blue from the previous drunken man that beat him up for no reason. She gently touched the boy, as his teary face finally looks up.

 

The boy’s eyes widen at the sight of her, and his body started to tremble, the lady only smiled.

 

“Don’t be afraid! I’m here to help you, can you stand? I’ll bring you somewhere safe,” she pulled the smaller hand to stand up.

 

“My name is Jihyo, what’s yours?” The lady said kindly.

 

“S-Suho.”

 

“Suho, can you tell me where your parents are—"

 

There’s a sound of an explosion in the distance, but it was loud enough for them to hear. The lady turned around to the source of the explosion. She looked up to the sky, at the end of the tall building surrounding them, black smoke rolling to the blue sky.

 

“Isn’t that where—”

 

She didn’t get to finish her words when another gunshot was fired. Red crawling up at the back of her dress. The pain didn’t stay long until numbness came. Now it was her that curled up on the grimy asphalt, and the small boy running away from her was the last thing she sees.

 

The boy didn’t even look back. He turned around the corner and the previous man has been waiting there for him. Then Suho obeyed his owner to follow the man into the twist and turns of the alleyway.

 

 

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

 

Suho was finally set free. At first, he was clueless about what to do to this newfound freedom. He lived in the streets for all his teen years, to one homeless shelter to another. He managed to do odd jobs here and there, but as he grows into adulthood, he managed to have a life, a lover, and adopted a child, he has a family.

 

Until the past came haunting him again, the woman came back demanding the other half of the pay.

 

She rips him out of his family and threatened to kill them if he didn’t do her odd favor, to infiltrate a mob group, gain their trust, and to be ready for her next task then. She makes use of Suho’s young appearance, told him to fake his age so he could look like a teenaged orphan. There are spots and scenes that she wanted him to do. It ended up with Suho on the streets again, all beaten up by her own men.

 

She came to him, all tall and mighty it was the first time he sees the face of his owner. She had a bodyguard beside him, that later on became his mentor and friend, Julien. He knew who his owner really is after she was welcomed into the group, not her husband, but her. The wicked woman was a wife of the Boss of the group he’s going to infiltrate. It was all so confusing, and Suho didn’t want to question it. He just wants his family safe.

 

Suho infiltrates easily as an innocent and clueless gangster underling because he is. It was not his fault that the plan backfired.

 

“I know who you are, you think you could’ve fooled me?”

 

Suho felt like his vision was spinning, legs turning into jelly as Boss Minsik had his murderous eyes in Suho’s direction. Suho can’t lie his way this time, the folders in Minsik’s hand is definitely his face when he was little, data of himself when he was sold.

 

“Born Kim Junmyeon, you’re sold by your parents, put into the auction and bought by a mysterious millionaire, and you lied about your age.”

 

Suho waited for more, thinking that Boss Minsik knew about his wife’s affiliation with him, knows that he’s the one that killed his second wife he loved so much, back when he didn’t know better. Panic started to eat Suho up, he would be dead by his fake Boss hand if he found out, and then his family would also be done for, but Minsik didn’t say anything more, and Suho didn’t know if he should breathe easier or just choke up and die right there.

 

“Sir… I’m sorry I didn’t remember--”

 

A bang from Minsik’s hand to the table silenced him. His frowning cold Boss now fired up with anger. His eyes staring daggers at him, veins threatening to pop at his forehead.  The room felt heavy for Suho, like someone standing on his shoulder. His head is spinning, in pain as he tried to work up a lie that seems to be futile.

 

“If you want to be alive, then do me one thing, and I will forgive you.”

 

The request was both menacing yet hopeful for Suho. His cover won’t be blown, but what favor could his Boss want from him? And what wouldn’t he do for his life and his family’s?

 

“Whatever it is… I-I’ll do it!”

 

 

+++++

 

 

Suho climbed out of bed, getting his boxers that ended up across the room. The fridge had nothing but beers and leftover junk food, Suho couldn’t bother buying anything else. The woman in his bed started to move, yawning and stretching, making his bed creaks a little less violently now than a few minutes earlier.

 

Suho looked back to the blond in his bed, staring back at him with a cat-like smirk as she laid there still not wearing anything. Suho walked over to the girl, knowing she liked to be pampered. She leaned forward and Suho caught her lips, what started as a soft peck now heated into a hungry kiss, but they soon part.

 

“Want something to eat Natasha?” Suho asked, she gave her a thinking face and finally shook her head.

 

“Nah, I promised Sehun I’ll eat dinner with him.”

 

“What about a drink? Beer? Tea?”

 

“Beer.”

 

Suho cracks open a couple of beers and handed one to her. They both sat there, enjoying Suho’s cheap beer. Natasha seems to be deep in thought, and Suho noticed that.

 

“Something’s on your mind?”

 

Natasha didn’t answer for a few seconds, her eyes looked up to Suho’s questioning ones. There’s doubt painted all over her face before she finally gives a frustrated sigh.

 

“I wanted to break up with Sehun,” she stated and sipped her can in a few gulps.

 

Suho did not expect that of her, “why? You’ve been together for years.”

 

“Yeah… that’s one of the problems,” she looked down to her beer, “I knew him all my life, we spent childhood together, but… I don’t know… the magic runs out.”

 

She looked down, sadly, and pressed her eyes shut. Magic, as sappy as it sounds, Suho can’t deny that, since he also felt that magic with his lover. Natasha put down her beer and stands.

 

“I’m borrowing your—”

 

The air in her lungs stops her words.

 

Her body stiffens in short rigid jerks before dropping to the carpeted floor like a piece of log. Her face went pale until almost blue, her eyes searched for Suho, her mouth gaping, gasping for air that wouldn’t get in no matter how desperate she breathes. She finally founds Suho’s eyes, but they were not looking at her. Suho looked away, walking towards her beer, and dumped them all in the sink, and throw out the can.

 

Suho doesn’t want to look, he doesn’t want to listen as Natasha’s short breath gasping so desperately. Until Natasha come into complete silence, then Suho could turn around and see the dead body in his floor. Suho spreads a plastic cover wider than her body to put underneath. He took one of his sharpest knives.

 

There’s still a few hours until the Botanical Museum closed, maybe he needs to wait until an hour before he has to hang her body there. Suho gulped, putting the knife away for a moment, and pinch the bridge of his nose, his hands are shaking.

 

_“Why… Why did Boss Minsik make me do this… fuck, this is crazy, but I don’t have any other choice… dammit… I’m so sorry Natasha.”_

 

And like karma, his true owner, Seungok, gives him the last task. No killing, this time, only giving a simple sealed letter to a guy named Frankie. Seungok informed him that he was a former member, and might not know who Suho is, but Seungok insisted he wears a disguise.

 

Suho was not an expert, he was trained by Julien but it’s only been a year. He did a rookie mistake and spotted when he went to hang Natasha in the Botanical Museum, and he wears the same disguise when he delivers the letter.

 

He only knew later that the letter he delivered was a command to bomb Boss Minsik.

 

 

“And that’s everything.” Suho wrapped up, inhaling his 5th cigarette that night, accompanied with Julien that listens to him so earnestly.

 

The night is cold on the roof of The Choi Group headquarters, the continuous cigarette kept Suho warmed and calm to tell all the things he had done. After his owner died, he seeks Julien for consultation, to confess, because honestly, now Suho didn’t know what to do, and Julien is the closest friend he has here.

 

“I never meant to seduce her, but she came onto me, and I just go with the flow… I also thought it will be a painless way for her to die. The poison was not mine too, Boss gave it to me. I didn’t think she would look that painful”

 

Suho’s voice broke, eyes already red, and the tears have long dried somewhere halfway on his story. Julien looked down to the pitiful man, and he rubs the smaller man’s back, trying to soothe him.

 

“If I knew who I killed back then, if I knew it would lead to this, I wouldn’t do it,” Suho whimpered once again.

 

“You were young back then, she took advantage of you.” Julien paused, sighing in defeat at the sight of the broken man, “what are you gonna do now?” Julien asked.

 

“I want out, to return to my family,” Suho said without hesitation, and Julien isn’t surprised, “this life, being in this group, I felt like I have a family, but knowing what’s behind it, I felt like I’m a pawn, like my life isn’t mine at all, and I don’t want to feel that again.”

 

Suho and Julien share another few seconds of silence, puffing white smoke to dance in the dark night sky. None of them knows what to do.

 

“I never wanted this. I was no one, a child without a name, I was sold to a sinister woman, and made to fuck up their lives, I… for years… I kept asking, why is this happening to me? Why me? What did I do wrong to deserve this?” Suho closed his eyes, it’s burning, but none of the tears come out, none inside left to cry out.

 

“Maybe this is it, this is the freedom I earned, with both Madam Seungok and Boss Minsik died, this is my only chance of freedom, and I’m going to take it,” Suho said with determination in his voice, and for once that night, he didn’t sound broken.

 

The younger man gave a slight bow to his mentor, “Thank you Julien, for everything, and one day… I’ll try to talk to Sehun about this.”

 

Julien was taken back by him, “why would you?”

 

“Don’t you think he deserves the truth? I-I killed his mom, and his girlfriend, but I’ll save it for another day, he… he’s gone through enough for today.”

 

“What I don’t understand is why do you care? You could just walk away.”

 

Suho looked up to Julien’s pure curiosity, “I don’t, I’m doing this for me. I’m done keeping secrets and sneaking around,” and with a smile, Suho lowered his head once again and walk away.

 

Now left only Julien alone, this is the smoking area and he didn’t even smoke, just for the sake of hearing Suho’s sob story. The fan whirl so excitedly, it’s the only thing that filled the silence. Murmurs of the city filled the background, comes the main voice of the night, steps walking out of the piled-up barrels and fans.

 

“You got that?” Julien asked the man walking towards him, sitting at the concrete edge beside him.

 

“Yeah,” Sehun sighed along with Julien

 

Sehun dressed as dark as the night, he bolted to the headquarters from the private home when Julien called him about Suho. The secrets he hears worth all the cars he almost runs over on the way there. Both of them were equally stunned by what they just heard.

 

To think, the man that killed his girlfriend, the one that they have chased all over the place, was an immature puppet. Sehun didn’t know what to think about Natasha after he hears that, didn’t even know if he would ever admit that it was the truth.

 

Everything is just one big fuck up.

 

“What’re you gonna do about him?” Julien breaks the silence.

 

“Nothing.”

 

“Nothing?” Julien raised an eyebrow at the younger besides him.

 

“He’s a pawn. Seungok was probably planning to put the blame on him later on. He’s a pathetic, helpless man, caught in a game between a power-hungry woman and a broken-hearted man, we all got caught in it, we are all equally pathetic.”

 

Sehun huffed, kicking the dust on the cement floor. As much as Julien didn’t want to agree, he has to, it’s nothing else than that. All these deaths, these complications, all because of selfishness. What a way to go…

 

“And I relate to him,” Sehun then continued, “it felt like our life is not ours at all. Kyungsoo was playing along as a pawn, but not me, never, I’m putting a complete stop to this.”

 

Julien raised an eyebrow, “It _has_ stopped Sehun.”.

 

“Not until I say so.”

 

Maybe because it was night, Julien couldn’t understand the meaning Sehun’s face was making, nor the curt tone of his voice. It wasn’t that dark here, Julien could definitely see the burning anger in his eyes. Julien knows he’s clueless right now, but that cluelessness brings back memories. He couldn’t know what Kyungsoo meant as well, he just hopes what Sehun is planning, he didn’t—

 

“I didn’t get to say this before, but it’s good to see you again Julien.”

 

“Likewise little Boss.”

 

“That nickname is old, steroids.”

 

Sehun looked up and dryly laughing away with his old mentor, and Julien saw that little boy that used to look up to him in wonder. Sehun used to have this light in his eyes as a child, now, it looks like life is drained out of him.

 

“I know everyone must’ve known, but I didn’t, what made you turn away Sehun?”

 

Sehun’s smile goes back down, not frowning, but it suppresses some bitter thought to himself. Julien started to regret asking since it doesn’t matter anymore, but dammit Julien raised him just as much, didn’t he get to have the same explanation as—

 

“I guess I was chasing her too, in my own ways.” It sounds like Sehun was saying it to himself.

 

Julien didn’t need to ask for more, he heard that, and it’s more than enough answer. Like father like son, Julien never get the chance to really know Lady Jihyo, but she must’ve been really dear for them both until the two she left is in ruins like this. All of them are, what a mess everything is, everyone is drained.

 

Sehun escaped and live a ‘normal’ life, only to return with this tragedy. He lost a lot of people close in his life, and the closest one is by his own hands.

 

Kyungsoo’s death is definitely an ironic one, yet somewhat dramatic, died in the hand of your dear little brother that you’ve trained to perfection. Though Julien mourns for the passing of his best friend, he can’t help but feel proud of Sehun, he’s back, that’s all it takes. Wonders if Kyungsoo felt like this too.

 

“When will the pastor came tomorrow.”

 

“In the evening, I’ll get you when he arrives.”

 

“Why would we need a ceremony anyway, Kyungsoo was not religious.”

 

Julien shrugged his shoulder, “It’s in his will.”

 

 “Who’ll be there?”

 

“Me, you, Boss Minsik, and the pastor of course.”

 

Once again Sehun sighed and stood up, “I see… Thank you for today Julien, I’ll go back to the private home now—”

 

“What are you planning Sehun.”

 

Julien’s tone was curt, as he looked up to the younger’s back. Sehun turned around to see his silly and outgoing mentor now in a serious expression that he rarely sees before.

 

“There is no plan. Kyungsoo is dead Julien, everyone is, there’s no one else alive to blame.”

 

 

 

+++

 

 

 

It’s been years since Sehun last walk this corridor. Tall glass windows rowed in the entire walls connecting the northern and the southern part of the area. The windows have a view of the greenhouse and miles of the untouched forest beyond the two-story gate.

 

He spent all his childhood here, running back and forth through this corridor, dragging his toy car around. When he saw his mother walking to the greenhouse, he would bolt outside instantly to join her. The woods behind these gates held a fond memory, he used to hunt and play hide and seek with Kyungsoo, with Natasha too. Sehun wished he could look back with nostalgic feeling, but it left nothing but taunting memories, mocking him for being what he is now.

 

At the end of the corridor, was a staircase up to another corridor with windows. The armored soldier display stand beside the stairs he used to be scared of, the paintings of flowers his father used to love, it’s still here. Heading towards the other side of the building, and finally in the corridor where his room was.

 

The door creaks when he opened them, the lamp flicker until eventually light up but dim. His room inside is still clean and empty, just like how he left it. Beside his room was Kyungsoo’s, when he was little, there are times when he would seek Kyungsoo’s comfort instead of his parents, just because Kyungsoo was nearer. It didn’t last long though, his days of innocence last really short.

 

Sehun finds himself in front of Kyungsoo’s door again, his hand is on the handle that feels so small now.

 

The door didn’t creak, and the lamp works fine, of course it is, yesterday Kyungsoo was still here. It was clean inside, everything placed neatly and grey, that’s typical of Kyungsoo. A single bed in the corner, old brownish curtain tucked on the side, showing the beautiful glittering city far away, his room has the same view too. A single closet beside the door, inside are his black suits, tidily hung and his casual clothes folded neatly.

 

Sehun looked around the monochrome minimalistic room until his eyes catch a color. Beside the bed sat a desk with his unplugged computer. In that same table was a frame with tall glass cover, almost like a glass box but it was standing up like a picture frame. Inside was a familiar green braid with red sprinkled all over…

 

His hands trembled as he holds the frame, he plopped down to his brother’s bed. Carefully opening the bottom of the frame, and takes out the ornament inside. It’s not an ornament, these are made by real plants, reserved perfectly that they still have their color, Sehun made it.

 

A gladiolus flower crown. How old was Sehun when he made this? 13 was it? and Kyungsoo kept it beside his table, it wasn’t even dusty. Kyungsoo kept it, this useless inanimate thing, all this time, for ten years.

 

One, and then two drops of his tears landed on the crown in his hands, another sad tear on the flower that resembled his loved ones, but now, no one is there to comfort him, to pat him in the back and promised to have revenge upon, he has no one left to blame.

 

Sehun already have that power, yet still failed, worse, he… Sehun didn’t want to think about it anymore.

 

“You’re so stupid Kyungsoo…”

 

His hands trembled, putting away the fragile braid before he clenches his fist on the bedsheet. His hands felt hot, like Kyungsoo’s blood is still there on his skin and the heat of his body when he pressed a knife all the way inside his chest. He closed his eyes and see Kyungsoo’s face gasping for air and failed, chocking with his own blood.

 

All of that, so that Sehun could be here, and what? Be a leader that he was born to do? The fulfill his promise with that pathetic man, just because he saved him when he was an orphan? Sehun wanted to understand Kyungsoo’s reasoning, he wanted to understand the gratitude he felt for his father, but…

 

“What about me Kyungsoo? How could you trick me into killing you? Why?”

 

The questions will hang forever in this room, left unanswered as the one with the answer is silent forever.

 

Sehun could never wash away the guilt when he foolishly believes that Kyungsoo admitted he killed Natasha, and all the things he admitted he did. He could never wash away the burn in his hands when it was basked in his blood. He could never forget, the way Kyungsoo died under him, and Sehun did nothing, thinking he deserved it.

 

Sehun cried as he pathetically laid on a dead man’s bed, has he learned nothing?

 

It’s been 15 years since his mother died, yet he did the same mourn. Has Kyungsoo’s lesson gone pass his head? He couldn’t believe himself. Back then he was too weak to do anything, too gullible to seek the truth, too innocent to know the possibilities.

 

Now, he has grown. Kyungsoo was right, this world doesn’t let him go. Sehun was built to survive this world, to play in these schemes. He was a clueless child, he had grown to refuse his fate, but not anymore. Though Sehun planned to face his problems head-on with his father’s ‘style’, doesn’t make Sehun any smarter either.

 

 

“I guess I’m stupid too Kyungsoo, with such a foolish reason too… Well, an apple didn’t fall far from the tree, I must admit that it’s true now.”

 

 

 

++++


	11. CH.11 Funeral

 

 

There was an unused hall in this private mansion he called home. Used to have private parties, have his birthdays here, both his and Kyungsoo’s. it was rarely used later on. The room is lighted enough from the two chandeliers hanging above, no windows, afraid of snipers sneaking behind them.

 

At the end of the empty room was a casket filled with flowers, and a pastor sitting behind a podium beside it. An old man wearing what it looks like a fancy church-ish dress, Sehun didn’t know whatever it’s called. The old man looked friendly his lines deepened as he smiled at Sehun and nodding his head. Sehun couldn’t care the slightest.

 

He walks past the empty three lone seats he dragged here the night before, holding the ten-year-old flower crown.

 

The face he stares is not a hallucination, not a result of his lack of sleep, because Sehun couldn’t sleep at all, haunted by the memories, happy and horrifying ones. Kyungsoo’s face kept reflecting back into his vision no matter how tightly he shuts his eyes.

 

Two days ago is still fresh in his memory. Kyungsoo’s face drowned of life from his own hand, and Sehun just… left him there, believing the lies laid down to him from the dead man himself. Sehun would never forget that, and he would never forgive himself for that. More, he blames himself for not noticing the lie, and not knowing Kyungsoo enough that he would do this.

 

What kind of blind he was that he lets Kyungsoo fool him that way. What kind of person is he that he believes Kyungsoo’s sin right away despite all the things they’ve been through, and how easily he labeled them as lies when he should’ve known it’s not.

 

And what use is it to blame himself? What use is it to blame anyone at all?

 

“I believe this is yours,” Sehun laid the crown there, on top of Kyungsoo’s folded hands above his abdomen.

 

He tried not to look at Kyungsoo’s face, they have haunted him in his nights and whenever his mind wander, he didn’t need more. The flower crown on top of Kyungsoo’s pale hands, the flowers around him, the all-black suit, his stiff face at the corner of Sehun’s eyes. Sehun has tried to remember the time when Kyungsoo was still alive, but the reality in front of him felt like a punch in the gut, it hurts, enough to shed another tear from his swollen eyes.

 

Sehun is tired of this guilt, of thinking the ‘what if’s. He doesn’t want it anymore. He wants to be able to see Kyungsoo’s face and be proud.

 

Steps entered his field of hearing, growing closer. The pastor at the corner of his vision is nodding at the person behind him. From the way he dragged his feet, the man must’ve been in a sluggish condition, who else could it be other than his injured father. The chair creeks as he lands himself on top of it.

 

Sehun turned around, and meeting an unfazed scowling man, wearing the same all-black suit as his and Kyungsoo. When they meet eyes, however, Sehun thought the scowl would deepen, but Minsik seems relaxed. What came after surprised Sehun even more, in this sad day of mourning, his father smiled softly.

 

“Something amuses you?” Sehun asked, hiding the irritation threatening to made itself known.

 

His father sighed, eyes still looked at Sehun right beside his brother’s casket, “you’re home, you’re right here where you belong.”

 

“Kyungsoo’s body is in front of you.”

 

“And I’m proud of him, he did what he’s meant to do.”

 

There’s not even one tinge of guilt in his old man’s face and Sehun is too tired to feel angry. What Kyungsoo meant to do? Him coming home, brought here against his will, using this tragedy to make him stay put, Kyungsoo definitely succeeds in that. Sehun couldn’t move as he sees his father smiled despite his son had died.

 

Oh, no, Kyungsoo is not his son, he never sees him that way, isn’t he? And he just notices it now, that Kyungsoo also acts like a soldier, so dedicated that he performed this kamikaze type of shit. This is stupid, and Sehun is the stupid thing that they wanted to move around. A thing.

 

Sehun’s phone vibrated, it was a message from Julien.

 

“Julien will be late, and he wanted to remind you to drink the pills he left you. Why is he telling me this? Where’s your phone?”

 

“Threw it out.”

 

Sehun rolled his eyes, and Minsik notices that, “can’t be too careful,” his father said, trying to sound wise, but it doesn’t.

 

“Stop being paranoid, the one that arranges your bombing is dead.”

 

Now even after everything has cleared up, Minsik is being paranoid. This happening is indeed has taken its toll on his all mighty Boss. He’s backstabbed by his own wife, fooled for so many years. Minsik has been powerful for so long but now he’s finally stripped down from that powerful image. He has been weak as he was injured by the closest person he’s with, it was a blow on that big ego.

 

“Would you like to start now?” the pastor asked Sehun instead the older man in the room. Minsik popped out a few pills from the yellow bottle, the one Sehun reminded, and the pastor was sensitive enough to bring him a closed water bottle. Minsik refused and turns out he has a small bottled water of his own under his suit. What a paranoid.

 

“We need to wait a little more, we lack one more person.”

 

The pastor smiled, “any time you’re ready,” and he nods before walking himself back to his seat.

 

Sehun sighed, feeling his heart beating louder as his hands crept up to Kyungsoo’s. He touched the greyish skin only slightly, and it’s cold as ice. Sehun regrets that they didn’t hire a mortuary beautician to put a little color on Kyungsoo. Sehun felt his hands tremble, but he tried to cock his head up a little, to see Kyungsoo in the face.

 

That cold expression didn’t change at all, the only difference is those closed eyes.

 

“Am I worth your death?” Sehun mumbled at the cold face.

 

“What are you mumbling about bo- kh- kh-” Sehun was startled by the hard cough, but somewhat relieved he didn’t get to finish his pointless chatter.

 

“I’m talking to Kyungsoo.”

 

“You’re talking to a dead body.”

 

“Can’t I say goodbye to him before—”

 

His father coughed again, louder this time, and more breathless. Seems like the pills is stuck to his throat. The pastor, bless his good old soul reach out to pat the fellow old man in the back, only to be harshly swatted back.

 

Sehun looked away, hiding his vision away from Kyungsoo, suddenly feeling tired. He has his eyes at his father’s scowling face yet again, and it’s shocking how he would rather see that face instead of Kyungsoo’s. His face is red now, and those wrinkles deepened as he winced.

 

“Old man, you’re pale, you didn’t forget any meds do you?”

 

“I didn’t.”

 

Minsik’s face is not convincing. His breathing paced faster, gasping for air as bullets of sweat trailed down his forehead. The older man wobble as his breath sounds even shorter. Clutching his chest, Minsik stood up to walk somewhere but stopped by his own feet.

 

The older man fell to his knees before any of the two in the room could catch him. Sehun went to his father’s side quicker, hand over his shoulder and lay his on the floor slowly. The pastor was shaking, and in complete opposite, Sehun was not.

 

Sehun grabbed something from under his suit, a piece of paper, and hand it to the scared pastor. With a glance of what’s written in the paper, checking how many zeros in there, the pastor snatches it from Sehun’s hand and hurriedly walked out of the room.

 

Witnessing all of that, Minsik couldn’t do anything but glare as his body laid stiffly on the floor. Sehun reaches under his suit once again, pulling a handgun and a filled syringe. Minsik’s eyes widen at the sight of the metal. His son’s face drowned of any expression, not even worry or nervousness as he pointed the end of the barrel towards his father’s forehead.

 

Minsik’s chest thumping even louder from his condition, from the anger. Angry is an understatement, Minsik is furious, betrayed yet again and Sehun wants him to feel that way. Sehun’s thumb knocks the safety back, index finger on the trigger.

 

When Minsik sinfully scowl, Sehun only smirks and turned the gun around, putting it on his father’s hand, and pointed the barrel on his own forehead. Minsik’s fury has drowned into a confused frown as his hand is forcefully holding a gun pointed at his heir.

 

“This is the antidote from the poison I put into you,” Sehun held his other hand out, holding the previous syringe that held a paste white liquid in it.

 

Sehun cocks his head a little and glances down on his wrist, checking his watch, “you have exactly 1 minute 25 seconds before the poison effects you like a heart attack, so… decide…”

 

Sehun held onto his father’s hand, pressing the barrel against his skin, “shoot me if you want to live, die if you want _me_ to live.”

 

“Why….kh… hhhh… why are you doing this?” Minsik filled every word he said with poison, ironically confusion.

 

“Why? I could ask the same thing about you, I’m just following the family tradition. Now, decide.”

 

“You… you wouldn’t dare to kill your own father! You’re always a weak sentimental boy--”

 

“As you can see, I’m not anymore, just like you wanted, aren’t you proud of me?” Sehun flashed his painful grin across his face, eyes looking dead straight to the reddened skin of his father. Completely stoic and stable compared to Minsik, which leaves the older man stunned. Those cold eyes he had wished, finally, it was there, but directed to him.

 

“Choose,” Sehun demanded after his father did nothing but stare.

 

Minsik yanks his hand to throw away the gun, but Sehun didn’t let go. Minsik has his fingers forcefully against the trigger by Sehun’s grip, he cannot move away. That, plus his erratic breath that slowly becomes shorter, his chest tightening and his vision blur.

 

He tried to reach out to Sehun’s other hand that had the syringe. Sehun easily moved away and Minsik had never felt that weak. He was always a mastermind of a game, but now, he’s like a lab rat.

 

“Tik tok dad… tik tok tik tok…”

 

Minsik pulled his hand, making Sehun fell off balance and fall. Minsik welcomed his head with a hard headbutt while pulling away from Sehun’s grasp and throw away the gun. Quickly the older man reaches out to the syringe, but Sehun moves it away. Raising his hand so the antidote would be out of his father’s reach, and slam it back to the ground, the syringe landed on the floor.

 

The glass syringe broke into half and a few tiny pieces, the white liquid spilled all over. Minsik didn’t seem surprised, and neither is Sehun. Both father and son have the same serene expression in their face, both are masking what they really feel inside. Minsik knew it’s time, he couldn’t feel the air entering his lungs no matter how hard he gasped.

 

“Was she worth it?” Sehun spoke, making Minsik look up to his kneeling son, “was my mother worth it? Your pain, my betrayal, your loneliness, and the things you did to put me back here.”

 

Minsik widen his eyes at Sehun’s last sentence, Sehun knows his ploy with Suho, and there is no trace in Minsik’s face saying that he regrets it. The time ticks closer, seconds passed, and Minsik didn’t seem to answer his question.

 

Sehun lowered his eyes to a pathetic man that once stood tall, now dying as critical seconds passed him. Sehun glanced at his watch…

 

13

 

12

 

11

 

10

 

9

 

A light airy chuckle tore his gaze away, his father had a smirk across his face. “I didn’t regret it, yes I killed that bitch you called a girlfriend, but th-that’s it…” his father whispered, voice growing weak as his body laid completely on his side, but his eyes, though he’s lower than Sehun, his intense glare made the man tower higher.

 

“You’re the one that killed Kyungsoo, not me. _You_ killed him,” he breathed his words before finally closing his mocking eyes. The wrinkles on his face finally relaxed as his whole body laid limp.

 

Sehun didn’t move from where he kneels, just looking down to his father, dead. Of course, Sehun knew, he knew Kyungsoo’s blood is on its hands and they can’t stop itching. That’s why he covers it with his father’s blood, trying to cleanse his guilt, to put the blame on others.

 

Now, he’s truly alone, both of his family is dead in the same room, and here he is, alive and alone, yet so serene. Sehun has nothing in his mind, other than staring the man beside his feet. He’s gone along with his anger, hatred and sorrow.

 

“So this is how it felt like…”

 

Sehun has killed before, but his own family? Yes, but someone he had hated this past… 24 hour, unbearable loathe towards the man. Feeling satisfied that he’s now gone, that’s how it supposed to feel, but it’s not. Everything’s gone, but not the guilt.

 

It’s empty. It’s pointless. Sehun didn’t get it.

 

“Dammit!”

 

Sehun reached something from under his suit yet again, grabbing another similar syringe and plunge the needle right on his father heart. He emptied the needle before throwing it away in frustration.

 

“Sehun.”

 

Sehun looked up, not really in a hurry since he recognizes his voice. He turned around when he saw the source of his name, laying his back on the stone podium of the casket as Julien runs towards them.

 

“What have you done?” Julien screamed, worry painted on his face as he saw his Boss laid on the floor, and Sehun’s empty face.

 

Julien was about to bring Minsik’s body to their doctor, but the stiff body jolted up, scaring Julien’s soul out of his body in the process. Minsik takes a sharp breath in as his eyes popped open. Minsik held his chest as his heart steadily pick up a stable pace. Julien kneeled beside his Boss, rubbing circles on his back.

 

“What are you doing!? You’re crazy!” Julien barks, making the younger scoffs.

 

“Really? Out of everything, _I’m_ the one who’s crazy?” Sehun’s voice drips in sarcasm.

 

“Yall are crazy!! All of yall!” Julien barks again, not taking his shit.

 

None of them make any more comments, no one dared. Julien just stood there stumped, pinching the bridge of his nose. He didn’t even get to mourn the passing of his friend, and this happens.

 

Minsik stood tall as nothing happened to him at all, he looked down to his son that laid his back against the podium of Kyungsoo’s casket. His eyes traveled from Sehun’s empty face to the one inside the casket and filled with flowers, Kyungsoo. That was the first time that Minsik truly looked at Kyungsoo, all life drained of him when only a few days ago he sees him by his side. It only feels like yesterday that the boy was only 8.

 

“I’m sorry Sehun,” Minsik lowered his head.

 

The man walks with chest high, seems his ego came back to life too as he rejects Julien’s hand to help, Minsik disappeared behind the closing double door. Now there are only two of them, Julien whipped his head to the younger.

 

“What. Are. You. THINKING???” Julien explodes, shouting a few foreign languages to the tall ceiling.

 

“Washing off the guilt,” Sehun deadpanned, making Julien freeze.

 

His angry gaze now mellowed, seeing the empty face of Sehun that was once a cute cheerful kid, loved by everyone. He lost his mother, forced to kill his brother, and almost killed his own father in front of the said dead brother. Julien just wants to know, he’s been kept in the dark long enough, he just wants to know what’s going on in the little boss’ head.

 

“I’m sorry for the commotion, it’s okay, just… just let me mourn for a while,” Sehun said before Julien could start.

 

Julien wouldn’t dare to step closer. Sehun held his eyes lower and Julien can’t see his expression. He knew that he needs to give Sehun space, but Kyungsoo isn’t here to take care of him like he always had. Kyungsoo isn’t here, Julien is.

 

The taller man shortens their distance as he kneels in front of Sehun. Before the younger can snap, Julien wraps him tight in his arms.

 

“I… didn’t believe in your capability either… when you walk away, I was sure that the title will be placed on Kyungsoo, but the responsibility is now yours, always have been.” Julien whispered against his shoulder.

 

“I can’t say I wasn't angry when you left, but not once I’m disappointed at you. None of this is your fault, NONE. Shit just happens, as to why Kyungsoo would do such length will remain unanswered, but it’s not your fault. I’m here, I’ll guide you all the way, Kyungsoo did not die for nothing, you’ll grow out of this stronger, and I’m here to pull you through.”

 

Ah, maybe that’s what Sehun needs, those words instead of washing his bloody hands with another blood. Sehun hugged back, burying his face on Julien’s shoulder, the last time he’s here felt like years ago.

 

“No matter how old I am, you’ll always treat me like I’m a kid,” Sehun joked.

 

“No one is too old for hugs, C'mon, stand up,” Julien lets go, and both of them stood up from the floor.

 

Sehun does felt a little lighter, even though his brother’s dead body is beside him, and a few minutes ago he tried to kill his father. He breathes, and embraces it, that this is his path all along. That Kyungsoo was right, this world doesn’t let him go.

 

“Still, I wonder why,” Sehun mused.

 

“Why what?” Julien questioned.

 

“Why did Kyungsoo do all this?”

 

Julien held a grim smile, and shrugged, “I guess we’ll never know.”

 

And Sehun will have to do with that resolution, no matter how much it eats him up.


	12. CH.12 POV (end)

 

 

I remember the first time I met you.

 

I was told to wait at home, but I can’t wait to meet my new little brother. You were so little, a little bit red, and you smelled nice. It was the proudest moment in my life when I can hold you in my arms, and because your mother entrusted me to hold you. I know that we have no blood relation at all, but you smiled when your little hands wrapped around my fingers. You have the cutest toothless grin, and you who was less than a month old snuggled in my arms.

 

From then on, I promised myself that I won’t make the same mistake, I’ll protect you with all my life, no matter what it takes.

 

I took pride in teaching you everything I know, my heart swells whenever I watch you grow, feeling prouder each day you grow.

 

I was supposed to make you a killer, the heir, I supposed to fill your mind with nothing but the group. Then you started to trust me, a cute little kid that saw me as a brother of his own. I wavered, I began to understand that the best way to raise you is to let you be happy. Let you choose who you wanted to be, that’s what I would’ve done to a brother of my own.

 

For a moment I forgot that I have to make you a killer, someone like me. I thought it will be for the best, that inside your blood held privilege I can never have. I love you Sehun, enough to forget what my purpose was, and it was already too late when I realized that I had failed.

 

I knew that the moment I let myself raise you like my own instead. Your smile is more rewarding than any kill you make. You saying thank you so earnestly makes me more proud of myself than when I see you next to Boss. I know I should’ve stopped, but I got greedy, you’re my family, my true family, I wanted to do what’s best for you instead of what’s best for the group, but I have responsibilities, and you are not mine to mold.

 

I’ve lived a very happy life, serving your father, raising you. I owe my life to Boss, I swore on my life that I will turn you into something I promised him for you to be.

 

I’m sorry, I also thought this is the best for you, deep inside, but I know that no matter what I think, you know yourself best. But a promise is a promise, and my life is not mine to decide on my own, I owe your father this happy life, now it’s time for me to return the favor, and the guilt left in me for the things I have to do to you to repay that debt will follow me to my grave.

 

As your eyes clouded with killing intent, and your hands taking my life away. I know that I’ve done my job, and I feel content. In my last breath, I get to see your back walking away, up straight and basked in the blood of your enemies and mine. I gave it my all, and you still beat me. This is my promise to you a long time ago, now you’re stronger than me. I died fulfilling my promise, I died in your hands, I couldn’t ask for more.

 

I’ve served this family with my life, I’ve protected my family, I know now that you’re safe Sehun.

 

My hand laid on the ground, in the middle of the pool of my own blood, waving you goodbye. That little baby that waved back to me, now has grown so strong.

 

I’m proud of you Sehun,

 

and I’m so sorry.

 

 

 

+++++++++++

 

 

 

Sehun had returned to this place every year, he remembers the date of his death, but can never remember how many times he had visited Kyungsoo’s grave. It felt as if years had flashed by in an instant, yet at the same time, Sehun does feel time drags him through the rocky ground. Every time he handed the gladiolus flower crown on his grave, he would see his hand aged, and reminded how much time actually flashed by.

 

His hands are skinny, wrinkled by age, despite feeling as strong as 40 years ago, Sehun felt another kind of exhaustion within him.

 

Julien steps in to stand beside him, giving his own flowers. Despite being so old, Julien hasn’t retired yet and still kicking. Sehun had said and forced the man to retire and enjoy his golden age in the Bahamas, but the man insisted to stay in the group till his last breath. That was the kind of loyalty expected of the group, but Sehun always felt scared of that kind of loyalty.

 

“Sir, you’re meeting with the Columbian group soon, and your wife have been asking for you,” the words are stiff and formal but Julien said it casually, like talking to a friend, and Sehun always felt grateful to Julien for that.

 

“Which wife?” Sehun asked.

 

“Lisa sir.”

 

“Tell her I’m busy, and let Chanyeol go to the meeting, he’s fucking 30 years old already, he didn’t need to attend with his dad anymore, let me stay here for a while.”

 

“Aye aye sir,” Julien sang, patting him on the back before he turns around to leave.

 

When Julien go, Sehun stopped him with a sudden question, “is this what he would’ve wanted out of me?”

 

Julien stopped in his tracks, looking back to his boss as Sehun still has his eyes on the grave, “your sons and daughters admire you, our empire has been the strongest, he would have been very proud of you… Sehun.”

 

Sehun nods and Julien left his boss alone.

 

“Did you hear that Kyungsoo?” Sehun smiled as if his brother could hear him from below the earth.

 

Sehun takes a glass bottle from the pocket of his suit, “what’s the point of being strong when there’s nothing left to protect, I guess I understood why you could easily throw your life away when I beat you. Everyone died, I have no reason to live on anymore, I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time.”

 

Sehun opened the glass bottle as little as his palm could engulf, inside is a blue liquid dancing as Sehun held it.

 

“What is it with people and power, money, and being the top of the pyramid. They went as far as being elaborate and being the cruelest of the cruel, doing anything to be at the top. After all these years, I still don’t get it… what’s so good with this world that people fight so hard? Dad had said in his deathbed, that the family bloodline must go on, the blood of Choi family, and I wonder if you gave your life just to fulfill that selfish desire of him, how foolish of you Kyungsoo… I guess I am too.”

 

Sehun mused as he stares down the liquid in his hand, and smiled, “Three wives, and eight children, they are my legacy. I meant it back then when I said I don’t want to become part of the game, or at least participate in it, for the sake of you, this is as far as I would go, my job was to leave a legacy behind, as shallow as that.”

 

Sehun knocked the glass poison to the tombstone.

 

“I’ve done my part now Kyungsoo,” Sehun raised the bottle, “for the family.”

 

 

(end)


End file.
